While most of California is busy planning Earth Day celebrations, Catalina Island is tackling its environmental challenges head on. A group of environmentally concerned residents from Avalon announced the selection of REC SOLAR, Orange County as the preferred provider for their new community solar program. The solar community initiative is just the first phase of Catalina's multi-tiered sustainable living charter, locally known as the 2020 Vision Plan.
Spearheaded by council person Scott Nelson, the solar community initiative is exceptionally ambitious. Present-day Catalina hosts just four solar electric homes. In the next three months, the solar phase of the 2020 Vision Plan will seek to install 45 Kilowatts of new solar photovoltaic (electric) systems or about 15 to 20 households. Catalina's vision would have residents of Avalon generating most, if not all, of its power from renewable solar, wind and ocean resources.
"We selected REC Solar because we understand that converting to solar electricity is logistically and economically challenging," said Councilman Nelson. "REC offers a great selection of solar electric systems and progressive financing options that make it easier and more affordable for the average homeowner to convert to clean power," offers Nelson.
Officially adopted by the City Council in 2003, Catalina's Vision 2020 Plan was originally created by a group of 40 residents who worked for three months to craft a vision of what they would like their community to look like in the year 2020.
In addition to the solar initiative, Vision 2020 also seeks to recycle landfill waste as ethanol, reduce traffic, convert to zero-emission electric vehicles, create an energy efficient desalination plant for the island's water supply to help recycle liquid waste into irrigation water and process solid waste in the sewage system into hydrogen and other fuels using bacterial fuel cells.
"Avalon's goal of 30kW, is the equivalent to eliminating 1,500,000lbs of CO2 emissions, taking 20 cars off of the road, or planting 3,600 mature trees on the island," explained REC Sales Director, Max Dworkin. "When you think about the environmental and financial benefits a community can receive through solar, it really comes down to a common sense choice for community members."
