August 16, 2025 #1 Local News, Information and Event Source for the Century City/Westwood areas.

LADWP’s rooftop solar energy program fails to meet its goals

Latest LADWP news.
Latest LADWP news.

The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power’s rooftop solar energy program has failed to meet its goals, with only a small fraction of the approved projects generating energy since the program began in 2012, according to a UCLA/USC report released today.

The Department of Water and Power’s “feed-in-tariff” program allows property owners to install solar panels on their buildings and sell the energy back to the utility.

But despite having already authorized 150 megawatts of solar projects, just 6.5 megawatts are currently being generated, according to the report commissioned by the Los Angeles Business Council Institute.

Another 8.2 megawatts are under contract and awaiting construction, and 56 megawatts are in the works, the report said.

The report also found the programs were delayed by limited staffing, with the number of the equivalent of three full-time workers in the program in 2013, even though there was originally a budget for 30.

UCLA and USC researchers recommended increasing staffing and processing applications for the program based on how ready the projects are, rather than on when they are submitted.

Researchers also said the city could see “exponentially greater benefits” by increasing the program’s capacity to 1,500 megawatts by 2025. This would result in 36,000 new jobs — enough energy to power more than 300,000 homes — and the elimination of 26 million metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions, the report said.

The heightened pace would also help the city stay on track to meet anticipated state mandated renewable energy goals, according to the report.

The report also found that LADWP’s existing program resulted in 2,000 new jobs, $300 million in direct investment and the displacement of 2.7 million tons of greenhouse gas emissions.

LADWP’s feed-in-tariff program was implemented following a push by the business council and the CLEAN LA Solar Coalition.

LADWP’s Solar Programs Manager Jason Rondou responded to the report today during a City Hall roundtable, saying the 150 megawatts was a goal that the LADWP did not expect to reach until the end of 2016.

The solar program now has 7 megawatts on board, but he acknowledged they had expected to have 20 megawatts operational at this time.

“We’ve seen areas where we can improve our process,” Rondou told City News Service following the talk, and the utility has worked toward “automating paper work, automating communications, being able to ramp staff easily.”

“But it’s also a less learned on the development community,” he said. “We need them to be more responsive as well.”

Rondou also pointed to delays in the permitting of projects by the city’s Department of Building and Safety.

Rondou added that the utility has added staffing, but said they mainly rely on a system of “ramping up,” or assigning existing workers to solar projects based on the need.

He said the utility is proposing another 300 megawatts of solar energy capacity for the feed-in-tariff program, which would require approval from city leaders.

 

Tags: in News
Related Posts

ICE Raids Rattle Westside Businesses Amid Reports of Arrests, Ambush Tactics

August 14, 2025

August 14, 2025

Masked Men Targeted Car Washes, Home Depots: 30 People Missing ICE and Border Patrol raids on Los Angeles’ Westside this...

Jeni’s Splendid Ice Cream Debuts  All-Black Ice Cream in Collaboration With Artist Cj Hendry

August 14, 2025

August 14, 2025

Limited-Edition Flavor Opaque and All Black Cones Launch on Aug. 14 Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams is stripping away the usual...

405 Freeway Closure Rescheduled: Sepulveda Pass to Shrink to Three Lanes August 22–25

August 14, 2025

August 14, 2025

Extended 405 Closure to Snarl Traffic Through Sepulveda Pass  The major closure of the 405 Freeway through the Sepulveda Pass...

Concert in the Courtyard: Israeli Band The Peatot Brings High-Energy Sound to Adat Shalom Synagogue

August 14, 2025

August 14, 2025

Event in Westwood Will Feature Live Music, Food, and Family-Friendly Community Celebration Adat Shalom Synagogue will host a summer evening...

Sweet Wheat Bakery & Bistro Opens in Downtown Culver City August 18

August 14, 2025

August 14, 2025

French Brothers Open Bakery with Authentic Parisian Pasteries A new bakery and bistro from two French-born brothers is set to...

Sidecar & Van Leeuwen Unite for One-Night-Only Doughnuts à la Mode

August 14, 2025

August 14, 2025

Limited-Time Collab Pairs Iconic Doughnuts With Artisanal Scoops Sidecar Doughnuts, the purveyors of some of Los Angeles’ best doughnuts, is...

Mr. Charlie’s Brings Plant-Based Fast Food to 26th Street With Grand Opening Giveaway

August 13, 2025

August 13, 2025

Plant-Based Favorite Opens Brentwood Adjacent Spot With Opening Day Perks Mr. Charlie’s, the fast-growing plant-based fast-food chain known for its...

Bánh Mì Pop-Up Returns: Chef Tra An Serves Pork & Mushroom Versions After Months-Long Hiatus

August 13, 2025

August 13, 2025

Following Four Sold-Out Events, Pre-Orders are Live for The Next Delicious Pop-Up Private chef Tra An, celebrated for making what...

Ex-LAPD Officer Among Four Charged in Kidnapping and Violent Home Invasion Robbery

August 13, 2025

August 13, 2025

Prosecutors Say the Suspects Handcuffed Victims, Stole Cash, and Cryptocurrency Felony charges were filed against a former Los Angeles police...

Beverly Hills Senior Scammed Out of $59K; Richmond Man Charged in Fraud Scheme

August 12, 2025

August 12, 2025

Suspect Posed as a Bank Employee and Federal Agent, Collecting Cash Twice  Multiple charges have been leveled at a Richmond,...

Rare Chinese Manuscripts Stolen From UCLA Library, Suspect Stayed at Brentwood Hotel

August 12, 2025

August 12, 2025

Suspect Swapped Originals for Fakes and Stored Evidence at Hotel Angeleno. Federal prosecutors have charged a Fremont, Calif., man with...

LAUSD Responds to Immigration Raids With Expanded Campus Safety Measures for New School Year

August 12, 2025

August 12, 2025

Superintendent Condemns Federal Agents’ Actions, Announces Safe-Passage Programs  Responding to heightened concerns about federal immigration activity near campuses, the Los...

(Video) Jennifer Levi, mother of Braun Levi, speaks at the Live Like Braun Memorial Tennis Tournament on His Birthday

August 12, 2025

August 12, 2025

After Braun was killed by a drunk driver, the Levis founded the Live Like Braun Foundation in his memory. The...

American Film Market 2025 Draws Global Exhibitors Ahead of Los Angeles Return

August 11, 2025

August 11, 2025

46th Edition Promises Robust Dealmaking, Screenings, and Industry Networking The American Film Market will stage its 46th edition Nov. 11–16,...

Two Hospitalized After Fourth-Floor Apartment Fire in Pico-Robertson

August 11, 2025

August 11, 2025

44 Firefighters Contained the Blaze, Rescued a 94-Year-Old Woman Flames erupted from a fourth-floor balcony of a six-story residential building...