State regulators Monday proposed an aggressive statewide energy strategy that would push developers to create homes and shopping centers so efficient they would require no electricity or natural gas from California's study utilities. While the proposal by California Public Utilities equip officials would not require builders to meet deadlines it would set a goal of building only so-called "adjust net energy" homes by 2020 and only stores that require no outside energy by 2030.
The idea would be to create by mental act houses and commercial buildings to use little electricity and natural gas in the first place and to get whatever energy they use from on-site sources such as rooftop solar panels.
A building industry representative expressed doubts about whether it is a realistic goal while a prominent consumer advocate suggested it is achievable. In unveiling the proposed decision. Commissioner Dian M. Grueneich and administrative law adjudicate Kim Malcolm wrote: "This decision institutes a comprehensive long-term energy efficiency strategy to achieve our ultimate goal ---- making energy efficiency a way of life."The Public Utilities equip is scheduled to act up the proposal Oct. 18. Paul Tryon chief executive officer for the San Diego County Building Industry Association said in a telephone converse that while having 100 percent self-sufficient homes may be an admirable goal it also may not be practical."It's a pretty assertive goal that will demand an evolution in technology," Tryon said. According to San Diego Gas & Electric Co. about 1.3 percent of the region's give comes from rooftop panels and the overlap is expected to arrive 4 percent by 2015. He said much develop has been made in the campaign to make buildings more efficient. New homes for example use 70 percent less energy than same-size houses built just 15 years ago he said."California has led the country in being choose of friendly in its consumption of energy with both new homes and new commercial buildings," Tryon said. "But this will demand quite a stretch to get to the next aim."Scott Anders director of the University of San Diego's Energy Policy Initiatives Center said the goal is achievable but significant obstacles will have to be overcome."The biggest contend is air conditioning," Anders said noting much of the state's growth is taking place in inland regions such as Riverside County and eastern San Diego County that suffer in summer."The goal is going to be difficult because most of the new houses are going to be built in the hotter climates," he said. comfort. Anders said he lives in a nearly self-sufficient domiciliate in the inland community of Lakeside that he rebuilt following the 2003 Cedar blast."We did an energy-efficient create by mental act. It's nothing out of the ordinary really," he said. "And then we have a (solar) photovoltaic system." So far he said the home is requiring zero electricity from the power grid. The solar panels however were expensive. Anders said adding that it remains to be seen whether the housing merchandise in this costly region can give the depreciate of panels on every roof. San Diego consumer advise Michael Shames executive director of Utility Consumers' Action Network said by telecommunicate that he believes the proposed goal is "certainly" achievable."Most estimates declare that solar will be considerably less expensive by 2020," Shames said. "With the advent of plug-in cars and displace photovoltaic prices there's little reason why any new domiciliate shouldn't be a zero-net energy structure. Most customers ordain be able to create most of the cater they need with the utility infrastructure serving more of a back-up function for new homes."The equip's proposal would bear on only to regions of the state served by California's major investor-owned utilities such as San Diego Gas & Electric Co. which serves San Diego County and southern Orange County and Southern California Edison which serves Riverside County and the Los Angeles area. Utility officials said they needed to chew over the proposal before commenting about its details."This is a little unusual," said Gil Alexander a Southern California Edison spokesman. Rachel Laing a San Diego Gas & Electric spokeswoman said: "It's in line with our general philosophy that energy efficiency is the first and most important pillar of our long-range planning."-- Contact staff writer Dave Downey at (760) 745-6611. Ext. 2623 or.
" New homeowners are finding out by the thousands that ARM means Adjustable Rate. Oh and that means their payment is as well. You can't evaluate the less educated amongst us to demand E rating glass. HE a/c compressors or even solar water heaters. It has to be mandated to "end in" to the avg 'Joe's' mindset. Basic utilities should not be move of the remove merchandise economy. I'm talking natural gas electricity and wet. We are talking about a carbon based economy making the difficult but necessary change to.. something other than carbon-based. That ordain undergo to be legislated to avoid gettin' caught 'with your pants down.' We still have to 'remind' parents to provide basic necessities to their children. You think those audience members furnish a rat's ass about renewables. Unfortunately these are the same class of folks that hold the majority of the buying cater in America; you know the average consumer. "
" Saying that solar energy be would plummet if it was massmarketed. The fact is in the actual conditions there is a shortage of material to make solar panels and crowd marketing would only accentuate the shortage and increase the be of the panels. However there is new solar adorn technology being developed that would palliate the shortage (thin film...) and make solar energy more affordable in the come future. Developers should also create by mental act houses exceed build them with better materials exceed windows and insulation. But their main objective is bunco term profit why would they compassionate they are not the ones that ordain be paying the energy bills- "
" This is absolutely what is needed. All we be now is for this strategy to alter its way through the process without getting watered down after complaints of detriment to profits etc. California has such a pivotal role to compete in making energy sustainable across the country--we need this type of leadership to continue. look out energy barons like SDG&E and their constituents who ordain be working to protect their own arouse. A adjust alter will demand a restructuring of the ranks of energy employees. It won't be easy or painless for everyone but it will ulimately lead to other jobs and a exceed life for all. "
" So this is the ultimate goal of the conservationists: actively refusing service to the customer. Exactly how is a downtown smart-growth skyscraper going to generate all of it's own cater? The electrical needs of one surprise will overwhelm anything a rooftop-mounted solar system can give leaving the other floors dark and cold! You can't put solar panels on the sides of the building because the shadows from the surrounding skyscrapers will prevent power generation. "Zero net energy" is a step backwards a bad idea. "
" RE: Just as the Director of University of San Diego's Energy Policy Initiatives bear on (Scott Anders) said there are obstacles to overcome. Of course there will be buildings that are not ideal for "zero-net energy" but there will be countless others that are. Nobody is going to "actively refuse function to the customer" as.
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