Los Angeles: Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, joined by environmental leaders and representatives from the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP), announced achievement of a major milestone January 13: providing 20% of the city’s power from renewable energy sources in 2010.
“When I became Mayor, I set a goal to generate 20% of the City's power from renewable energy sources by 2010 and I am proud to say that we have achieved that goal,” said Mayor Villaraigosa. “We went from worst to first and quadrupled our renewable energy portfolio in a few short years while also keeping our rates lower than other major utilities. Today’s announcement illustrates that the DWP is a national leader in cost-effective, environmentally responsible and reliable energy.” Mayor Villaraigosa and the LADWP made the commitment in 2005.
The 20% by 2010 goal has been achieved through a combination of major projects and power agreements made during the Mayor’s administration. In June 2009, LADWP began full operation of the Pine Tree Wind Power Plant, the nation’s largest wind farm owned by a municipal utility, in the Tehachapi Mountains. Wind power comprised nearly 50% of all LADWP’s renewable energy in 2010 with small hydro-electric contributing 30%, geothermal/biofuels, 22%, and solar, 1%.
LADWP is currently also transitioning away from coal, with only 39% of its power portfolio coming from coal in 2010. LADWP is in the process of divesting of the Navajo Generating Station in Arizona by 2014, which will reduce carbon emissions by an additional 26%.
LADWP plans to continue to develop new wind and solar projects close to existing transmission lines and other infrastructure. This includes local in-basin solar and a feed-in tariff program that would allow private parties to sell power to LADWP for distribution on the grid.