SF Solar Bond Measures Win!

Residents of San Francisco yesterday approved two bond
measures that will generate $100 million for the installation
of solar power, wind power, and energy efficiency
technologies on city-owned property. Proposition B, the
Solar Revenue Bond, is expected to provide financing for
about 10 to 12 megawatts of solar power -- enough to make
the city a world leader in solar generation -- and about
30 megawatts of wind generation. For comparison, the city
government in San Francisco currently uses a total of
160 megawatts of power.

The solar panels will be installed on rooftops of city facilities
in the sunniest areas of the city. The wind turbines will be
located on city-owned property in Alameda and San Mateo
Counties. Because the bonds will be repaid through energy
savings from these installations and from energy-efficiency
improvements at city facilities, the measure will not result in
higher taxes.

A related measure, Proposition H, enables an ongoing
commitment to renewable energy and energy efficiency by
allowing the city to use general revenue bonds for these
types of projects. General revenue bonds are approved by
the city's board of supervisors and do not require a public
vote. In essence, the measure allows the city to handle such
energy investments in the same way as other infrastructure
investments, such as roads and water and sewer systems.
For details about the two propositions, see the California
Solar Center Web site at:
http://www.californiasolarcenter.org/sfbond2001.html

Proposition B won handily with about 73 percent of the votes
in favor; Proposition H faced a tighter vote but still won with
about 55 percent of the votes in favor. See the official voting
results on the City & County of San Francisco Web site at:
http://www.ci.sf.ca.us/election/results01/results.htm.