San Francisco Map Wins Innovation Award
(November 4, 2008)
Interstate Renewable Energy Council Names San Francisco's Department of the Environment an Innovation
Award Winner for Solar Outreach
SAN FRANCISCO, CA
The San Francisco Solar Map, created by San Francisco's Department of the Environment in partnership with CH2M Hill, received the 2008 Innovation Award from the Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC).
The San Francisco Solar Map, sf.solarmap.org, is the City's central outreach and education tool to help residents and businesses install solar. The Solar Map displays all known solar electric installations in San Francisco and gives residents and businesses a detailed estimate of their building's solar potential. By mapping existing solar installations and providing industry-independent solar potential assessments, the Solar Map creates an unbiased educational resource and provides a one-stop shop for the community with fact sheets, local solar resources, and information about solar incentives.
"We have residents and businesses around the city who are playing a leadership role by installing solar systems, and you can see them all on the solar map," said Mayor Gavin Newsom. "Look at all those leaders on
the solar map website, and then look at how many more buildings have unused rooftops. The City and our residents are up to the challenge."
SF Environment's solar mapping and outreach initiatives are funded in part by a $200,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Energy's Solar America Cities Initiative. "Solar America City partnerships are helping our nation address two of the most pressing challenges we face: improving our energy security and combating global climate change," said John Lushetsky, the U.S. Department of Energy's Solar Program Manager, who recently visited San Francisco to acknowledge the city's solar progress.
San Francisco's solar map is the result of a partnership with CH2M Hill, which led the website development and aerial imagery analysis to estimate rooftop solar potential. According to Steph Stoppenhagen, client solutions manager at CH2M HILL's Enterprise Management Solutions, "San Francisco took a leadership position in the acceleration of alternative energy and we are excited that this work was recognized by IREC."
IREC is a 26-year-old nonprofit organization that accelerates the adoption of renewable energy by focusing on issues impacting renewable energy use. Each year the award is given to organizations that implemented innovative projects during the past year that promote and accelerate the adoption of renewable energy.
To see the San Francisco Solar Map, visit sf.solarmap.org. More information about the IREC Innovation Awards is available at www.irecusa.org.