COB: Solar Energy

Solar energy installations heat up
Rebates from Burbank Water and Power draw in customers, and the number of systems have increased in last two years.
Burbank Leader: January 1, 2011 by Gretchen Meier

Spurred on by consumer rebates, Burbank Water and Power has seen a doubling in the number of solar installations in the past two years.

There are now 93 solar energy systems in Burbank, compared to 36 in July of last year, and nearly all were funded with grant money from the utility. Twenty-two additional systems are in the pipeline, officials say.

Combined, the solar panels generate more than 2,000 kilowatts of clean energy — enough electricity to power nearly 1,000 homes for a full year.

Burbank Water and Power brought 19 residential and four commercial solar energy systems online in 2010, according to solar support program manager said John Joyce, a solar support program manager for the utility.

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Local businesses are hopping on the solar train: Costco on Burbank Boulevard flipped the switch on its solar energy installation in November and IKEA has plans for its own panel system in 2011.

Costco's solar energy project will cover about 20% its electricity requirements and generate about 850,000 kilowatt-hours of energy annually, making it the largest such project in the city, said Burbank Water and Power General Manager Ron Davis.

IKEA's project will be roughly half the size in terms of output, according to the utility.

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Burbank Water and Power has already started construction on a 240-kilowatt solar powered parking structure on North Lake Street between West Olive Avenue and West Magnolia Boulevard. READ MORE !

COB: Burbank Water & Power - Smart Grid

More money for smart meters
Officials stress a newer solar technology design that produces more energy.
Burbank Leader: October 26, 2010 by Gretchen Meier

Burbank Water and Power now has an additional $1.5 million for its smart meter ambitions, adding to the already substantial $20-million pool for the project.

After being one of just a handful of cities nationwide to receive a $20-million federal stimulus grant for smart grid infrastructure last year, the utility was awarded a $1-million grant from the California Energy Commission and $500,000 from the U.S. Department of Energy.

Burbank Water and Power was selected by the California Energy Commission for its planned solar panel project. The utility will be partnering with RayDyne Energy in Austin, Texas, to develop and operate concentrated solar photovoltaic systems to generate electrical power.

No air or water pollution is generated in the process, officials said.

"This is a newer solar technology with a totally different design," said Jeanette Meyer, marketing manager for Burbank Water and Power. "Using the same amount of space, we will be able to produce more energy."

Burbank Water and Power will partner with 700 city households with swimming pools to test a two-year energy efficiency program focused on shifting demand loads from peak to off-peak periods.

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The original $20-million grant will help for the installation of smart meters that track real-time water and electricity use by Burbank residents through a network of wireless communication systems, advanced meters and collection systems.

Smart-grid technology could also reduce electricity consumption by more than 4% by 2030, according to the Electric Power Research Institute. READ MORE !

Business Watch: IKEA

Swedish furniture store equipping American locations with solar panels
Cleanenergyauthority: October 14, 2010 by Amanda H. Miller

Ikea announced yesterday that it would install photovoltaic panels on seven stores and its distribution center in California.

The 20,000 panels will produce 6.65 million kilowatt hours, according a press release from the Swedish furniture company. That’s enough energy to power 580 average American homes.

The PV array that will be installed on the Ikea distribution center will be the second largest in California and among the top 10 largest building installations in the country, said Joseph Roth, Ikea’s public relations manager for the United States.

The panels will be installed later this year on stores in East Palo Alto, Emeryville, West Sacramento, Burbank, Costa Mesa, Covina and San Diego, along with its distribution center in Tejon. READ MORE !

Burbank store – opened in 1990; store size: 242,000 SF on 6.4 acres
SOLAR PROGRAM:
35,000 SF at 290 kW
1,260 panels generating 421,300 kWh/year
Equivalent to reducing 334 tons of CO2
58 cars’ emissions or powering 37 homes

California Watch: Solar

California’s Largest Photovoltaic Solar Plant Yet is Turned on Central Valley Business Times: December 21, 2009

Workers put finishing touches on PV panel installation.

What’s described by its owners as the largest photovoltaic solar power plant yet in California has been turned on and is sending electricity to customers of Southern California Edison.

Electricity generated by the solar facility is being sold to Southern California Edison, a unit of Edison International (NYSE: EIX) under a 20-year power purchase agreement.

Located in Riverside County, the Blythe plant is the largest thin film PV project in the United States and is five times the size of the next largest PV project in California, says NRG. At peak capacity, the project can supply the power needs of almost 17,000 homes, the company says. READ MORE !

Business Watch: Bob's Big Boy

Iconic Bob's Big Boy of Burbank Lauds 60th Anniversary By Going Green PRNewswire.com: July 16, 2009

Canadian Solar, HelioPower and Bob's Big Boy launch "Sixty and Solar" celebration to showcase Bob's solar power installation; invite patron participation.

Commemorating 60 years in operation by going a modern "green," Bob's is inaugurating a 26 kW Canadian Solar photovoltaic panel system installed by HelioPower. The "Sixty and Solar" celebration showcases Bob's solar power installation and invites fans to participate by sharing their Bob's stories. To kick off the celebration, Bob's patrons are invited to register their restaurant memories at a filming this weekend at the Burbank location.

The Bob's Big Boy Restaurant located at 4211 Riverside Drive in Burbank, California is the oldest remaining Bob's Big Boy in the United States. Over the years Bob's has seen a parade of celebrity names stop by for a hamburger. Movie stars of old have been regulars, with the restaurant serving some of the world's top musical talent and being the site of the celebrity attended Friday Night classic car show.

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Filming of Bob’s stories will take place Friday, July 17 from 5 pm to 9 pm and Saturday, July 18 from 10 am to 5 pm at the restaurant. There is no charge; however those who participate will be required to sign a photo release form. Stories will be edited and posted online as appropriate on the campaign’s website, YouTube, Facebook, MySpace and Twitter sites. READ MORE !

Neighborhood Watch

A Friendly Source of power
Burbank Leader: May 15, 2009 by Christopher Cadelago

BURBANK — Robert Beher hasn’t had a power bill that topped $5 for the past five years.

Every month, while most meters charge forward, his meter ticks in the opposite direction thanks to a 2.09-kilowatt solar photovoltaic system atop his 1,300-square-foot home.

“I was satisfied with the decision I made,” said Beher, whose home includes a personal computer and plasma television. “And I am still very happy with it.”

As part of a program that began 10 years ago, Beher was the fifth Burbank Water and Power customer to add solar panels to his property, a number that grew to 15 by 2007.

“Since, the program has exploded from my perspective,” said John Joyce, the utility’s solar support program manager.

Spurred by increased rebates, the utility has funded 36 projects with a total capacity of 1,428 kilowatts, he said. The solar panels are situated throughout the city, including atop car ports, homes and small businesses, an airport hanger and movie studio stages.

All of the activity has led to the city surpassing three gigawatt hours of local solar energy, enough to power nearly 6,000 homes for one month.

“It’s only going to grow, especially as it becomes even more cost effective,” said Councilman Dave Golonski. “Solar is particularly efficient in our region because peak demand corresponds with the daylight and the sun.”

Ten years ago the council established the city’s first solar photovoltaic incentive program called Solar Support.

The program offered residents an up-front incentive of $3 per watt installed up to $10,000. Commercial customers were funded based on kilowatt hours generated. READ MORE

Business Watch - Warner Bros. Entertainment

Film studio applies green lens: WB works on projects it hopes will make it known as a company conscious of the environment.
Burbank Leader: April 28, 2009 by Christopher Cadelago

Warner Bros. Entertainment, angling to become a trailblazer among major studios when it comes to conserving resources and environmental stewardship, has completed two major projects it hopes will reduce its carbon footprint.

The projects include the first “green” sound stage built by a major studio and a set of hybrid solar panels designed to generate more than 500 kilowatts of energy. They are part of a 16-year environmental initiative program in which Warner Bros. closely examines its business practices with the aim of changing its corporate culture to reflect one of sustainability, said Shelley Billik, vice president of environmental initiatives.

“Our company’s philosophy is that everything that is sustainable is actually good for our business and good for our community,” Billik said. “Despite our size, I think, like all other companies, we have to be creative and leverage our own resources.”

The 21,600-square-foot sound stage, built to the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design specifications, is operational and is pending LEED certification. READ MORE !