energy efficiency

On April 18, 2017 the South Lake Tahoe City Council unanimously passed a resolution to: 1) Power the South Lake Tahoe community with electricity provided from 100 percent renewable sources by 2032 and 2) Reduce community carbon emissions from baseline by at least 80 percent by 2040, and reduce municipal emissions by 50 percent by 2030.

The Tahoe Climate Change Action Network (TCCAN) is hosting a week of online events with opportunities to connect individual, community and regional efforts to the global movement to ensure we are counting down to a better, carbon neutral future.

Leadership Lake Tahoe is a ten-month-long course held every two years on the South Shore of Lake Tahoe. It began in 2003 with a mission to identify and develop current and future leaders through a comprehensive program designed to increase knowledge and awareness of the issues and challenges facing our community. At the beginning, the program was sponsored by the Tahoe Douglas Chamber and South Lake Tahoe Chamber, they merged a few years later and became the Tahoe Chamber (or Lake Tahoe South Shore Chamber of Commerce).

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Vail Resorts’ second annual EpicPromise Progress Report was released this week, showing they gave away $14.5 in community and employee grants in the areas their resorts are located. In the Lake Tahoe area, $1.9 million in grants was given to 93 local organizations.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - The Lake Tahoe Unified School District received a message last night: Take a pause and don't spend any more money until the two-year budget can be completed. The budget must include major cuts in expenses.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Have you been curious about using solar energy at your South Lake Tahoe home or business? Curious if we can use the panels on our snow-covered roofs?

Liberty Utilities is holding a free solar workshop in South Lake Tahoe on February 20 from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. at the library to provide information on solar energy and their Solar Incentive Program.

On April 18, 2017 the South Lake Tahoe City Council unanimously passed a resolution to do two things: Power the South Lake Tahoe community with electricity provided from 100 percent renewable sources by 2032; and reduce community carbon emissions from baseline by at least 80 percent by 2040. The 100% Renewable Committee was formed to help the City accomplish these tasks.

To help achieve Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows’ goal to be powered by 100 percent clean, renewable energy sources, Liberty Utilities, the electric service provider in the Lake Tahoe region of California, is actively collaborating with resort leadership to identify and develop new renewable energy generation, storage and energy efficiency projects to benefit the Olympic Valley and surrounding areas. Subject to regulatory approval, the two companies intend to achieve the resort’s 100 percent renewable goal as early as December 2018.

Liberty Utilities will host a free solar workshop for homeowners and small businesses on December 19 from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the South Lake Tahoe Library.

Find out about solar energy as well as their Solar Incentive Program.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - The Lake Tahoe Unified School District Board of Trustees unanimously adopted a “Healthy and Environmentally Sound Schools” resolution at its October 10 meeting. This supports expanded energy efficiency programs, and alignment with the City of South Lake Tahoe’s recent commitment to get 100 percent of their electricity from renewable energy sources.

Even with snow on roofs in South Lake Tahoe, it is possible to go solar. Learn more at the Liberty Utilities solar workshop on Saturday, September 23 from 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the South Lake Tahoe Library.

Utility representatives will be on hand to discuss various aspects of installing and using solar energy at homes and businesses.

Learn more about the Liberty Utilities Solar Incentive Program which provides cash incentives to offset the cost of installing panels. So far, 30 locals have applied for this program which is also available for schools in our community.

There are now 27 cities in the United States committed to operating with 100 percent renewable energy, will South Lake Tahoe be #28?

Cities already on board include both large an small communities. Some of those are Madison, Wis.; San Diego, Calif.; Salt Lake City, Utah; Pueblo, Aspen and Boulder, Colo.; and Moab, Utah. Efforts are currently underway for Truckee to join that group. Even Las Vegas operates their municipal buildings and facilities with 100 percent renewable energy.

Almost $20,000 was recently awarded to the Tahoe Truckee Unified School District (TTUSD) for improvements made in 2016 to increase energy efficiency at two school facilities.

Even though the check Liberty Utilities gave to TTUSD was for $19,638.42, the district can expect more than $15,700 in annual energy bill savings.

The rebate represented the largest incentive payment provided to any commercial customer by Liberty Utilities since it began operations in the Lake Tahoe and surrounding region.

The district made the following two changes:

Lake Tahoe Unified School District recently received an energy efficiency rebate check from Liberty Utilities in the amount of $5,054.10, the largest given out this year.

“We’re always happy to reward customers with a rebate whenever they install energy efficient measures that reduce their electric use, especially when it’s a public entity like a school,” stated Randy Kelly, Liberty Utilities’ Operations Manager.

In a move to increase revenue by $13.571 million, Liberty Utilities filed an application Monday with the California Public Utilities Commission to raise rates to their 49,000 customers in the Lake Tahoe region by 17.34%.

The change would begin on January 1, 2016. Liberty Utilities said in a press release that the projected new residential rate of 16.73 cents per kwh (compared to the current 14.26 cents per kwh) is still equal or less than residential rates for neighboring electric utilities.

The following is a summary of accomplishments during 2014 by the City of South Lake Tahoe.

Strategic Priority: Fiscal Sustainability
The most important issue facing cities and local agencies is continued steadfast attention to the budget, both short term and long term fiscal impacts.

· Implemented “budget watch” approach to financial analysis; a year-long effort evaluating state, national and global economic impacts for South Shore economy, and capital investment opportunities

If you own a home or business in the City of South Lake Tahoe you will soon be able to install renewable energy, energy efficiency, and water conservation improvements and pay for it with a voluntary lien against your property.

Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) is a volunteer program which will give property owners a chance to improve their properties. Figtree Financing and the California Enterprise Development Authority (CEDA) will facilitate the program in the city.

You may not have noticed a lack of old style light bulbs on the store shelves yet, but on January 1st it became illegal to manufacture or import 40 and 60 watt incandescent light bulbs.

Stores are allowed to sell their current stock of the popular general service light bulbs. Some of the incandescent bulbs will still be allowed though, including three way, 150 watt and narrower based candelabra lights.

Fifteen students from San Diego State University will forego the typical spring break of beaches and relaxation to teach thousands of children in a small mountain community how to save energy and save the environment.

Members of the student organization CALPIRG Energy Service Corps will travel to South Lake Tahoe, Calif., from March 31 through April 5 to spread the word on energy savings.

Location

This information release is being sent as an update to a fraud alert press release sent out on September 19. Since that release the South Lake Tahoe Police Department has been contacted by South West Gas who advised they do indeed have three private contractors working in South Lake Tahoe. There are two contractors and one Inspection Company that work with customers on various weatherization programs.

The three companies are:

CARSON CITY — With U.S. Sen. Harry Reid’s 5th annual National Clean Energy Summit set to kick off today in Las Vegas, the debate over alternative energy development and the government’s role in its future rages on.

By Rick Daysog, Sacramento Bee. California will become the first state in the nation to require greater energy efficiency in the battery chargers that millions of consumers use to power their cellphon...