SALT LAKE CITY, Utah, May 10, 2016 (Gephardt Daily) — Mayor Jackie Biskupski has launched a new initiative to double Salt Lake City’s current use of clean solar power.
Biskupski said in a news release Tuesday the Rocky Mountain Power-sponsored program, Subscriber Solar, will up the amount of sustainable energy powering government operations from six percent to 12 percent by the end of the year. Biskupski has set a 2020 goal to have 50 percent of municipal operations powered by renewable energy, and 100 percent by 2032.
“We are thrilled to align with Subscriber Solar and invest in clean, carbon-free energy to better serve our community,” said Biskupski in a prepared statement. “This commitment is just one of many major steps we will make toward a more sustainable energy future during my time as mayor.”
Subscriber Solar is a new program offered by Rocky Mountain Power that allows customers to align their energy needs with power generated from a new solar farm in Holden, Utah, about two hours south of Salt Lake City. The farm project will be completed in December 2016. Enrolled customers will be switched over to the Subscriber Solar rate schedule starting in January 2017.
Salt Lake City currently has more than 4,000 solar panels installed on its government properties. The new Subscriber Solar initiative will provide more renewable energy output than all municipal projects completed to date, the mayor said.
The city has committed to a subscription of three megawatts of solar power, or roughly 9,000 solar panels worth of clean energy, thus moving the needle closer to sustainable city energy goals. In addition, the city is planning new solar installations on multiple fire stations by late 2016.
Rocky Mountain Power CEO praised the decision.
“Salt Lake City is once again showing its pioneering spirit by being the one of the first to sign up for the Subscriber Solar program and make a substantial commitment to renewable energy,” she said, in a statement. “It is our hope other communities, businesses and residents will follow Salt Lake City’s lead on Subscriber Solar.”
