Solar energy provides economic relief from California's drought

摘要

No matter how small or large, no water district can escape the financial implications of chronic drought. Water district budgets are being constricted in a variety of ways, including loss of revenue resulting from customers' conservation efforts, capital expenditure to add more equipment, or increased energy costs. As a result, water agencies are having to produce solutions quickly. In the US state of California, the cities of Los Angeles, San Diego, and Santa Barbara have covered the deficit by adding charges to customer's bills. The city of Pleasanton achieved the same effect by moving funds from another part of its budget. However, an increasing number of cities are investing in solar energy to reduce operating costs. For most, the investment results in millions of dollars of avoided energy costs over the system's life span.