San Diego Goes Green, Saves Money

July 17, 2006

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has again ranked San Diego as the top local government in the nation when it comes to using environmentally friendly methods of generating electricity.

According to the San Diego Lincoln Tribune, the city’s wastewater department has saved about $16 million in the past three years by generating "green power." The EPA defines “green power” as sources of electricity that are renewable and have low environmental impacts, such as wind, biomass, the sun and steam.

San Diego has been ranked in the top 25 of "green power" partners by the EPA every year since 2003. The city aims to increase its use of alternative power in the coming years. The city has been using alternative methods for a while, but the electricity crisis of 2001 made it more important. In that year, Point Loma’s hydropower plant was altered to efficiently create energy by using falling water in the form of treated wastewater being piped to the ocean.

The city uses energy from methane taken from Point Loma, the North City Water Reclamation Plant and the Miramar Landfill. San Diego officials also plan to expand on the use of solar power, starting with panels that are being installed at the Alvarado Water Treatment Plant.

Source: San Diego Lincoln Tribune

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