October 21, 2013
Passage of Community Renewables Energy Act (CREA)
On October 1, the DC Council voted unanimously to pass CREA, the historic legislation which establishes a new program to help District families, schools and businesses to go solar for the first time. The program will be available to all DC energy customers, and will allow them to sign up for up to 100% local renewable energy for their home or business. Advocates applauded the Council members for giving DC residents more ways to help deliver local jobs and reduce energy costs.
Many DC energy consumers can now go solar. Electric utility Pepco (Washington, DC, U.S.) worked with solar advocates to develop the program. Donna M. Cooper, President of Pepco Region, commented: "Not only are we committed to delivering safe and reliable electricity, we are also committed to collaborating with the District of Columbia government and other stakeholders to become a model of innovative environmental policies and practices, including the expansion of renewable energy to District of Columbia residents."
Despite tremendous growth in solar adoption nationwide, many DC energy consumers, including the 60% of renters, are unable to invest in their own on-site solar energy systems. Shared renewables arrangements overcome that barrier by allowing energy customers to subscribe to an off-site renewable energy project and get utility bill credit for their portion of the energy produced. See http://www.solarserver.com/solar-magazine/solar-news/current/2013/kw40/… for further information.