Mountain View
On the heels of adopting a two-year goal to enhance environmental sustainability efforts, Mountain View City Council authorized City staff to move forward with two new sustainability projects on City property at the July 7 Council meeting.
The larger of the two projects will add new solar arrays to the Municipal Operations Center (MOC), Shoreline Golf Pro Shop and the Shoreline Maintenance Facility. The second project will add five electric vehicle (EV) charging stations to the California and Bryant Parking structure and upgrade four EV charging stations at City Hall. The EV project is expected to be completed by Winter 2015, while the solar project should be completed within the first quarter of 2016.
In addition to these new projects, the City is also working with neighboring agencies to explore Community Choice Energy, which allows local residents and businesses to choose energy from a higher percentage of renewable resources.
“Not only do these projects and programs emphasize Mountain View’s commitment to renewable energy and a significant reduction in carbon emissions,” explained Mayor John McAlister, “but they have the potential to result in cost savings and revenue generation. That’s money we can reinvest right here.”
About the solar project. The MOC roof-top solar installation alone is expected to generate 434 kilowatts (kW) of electricity, the equivalent average usage of 56 U.S. households per month. At the two Shoreline facilities, the solar systems will be installed on top of carports, adding additional shading benefits and generating an additional 149 kW – or roughly enough electricity to run 19 homes per month. With an investment of $1.7 million for all three installations, the solar arrays are expected to pay for themselves and offset City energy costs in as little as eight years.
About the EV charger project. Also, on July 7, Council voted to increase the number of EV-charging stations on City property and institute a fee to encourage turnover. Currently, City Hall has three modern EV chargers. Under Council’s new direction, the number of charging stations will increase to nine by upgrading existing chargers at City Hall and adding five new, dual-port chargers at the California and Bryant parking structure, allowing 18 EV’s to simultaneously charge in downtown. Each of these new chargers will have a flat rate of $1.50 per hour for the first two hours, then increase to $5.00 per hour during peak times. During off-peak times, charging will be only $0.25 per hour after the first hour.