Santa Barbara County Government on Track to Go Solar

Last week the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors took one step closer to generating a significant amount of the county government's electricity with solar power.  There are two solar projects currently underway:

  • One at the Laguna County Sanitation District sewer treatment plant that will be one of the largest solar energy projects in Santa Barbara County to date.

  • One adjacent to the county jail on Calle Real

Both projects come in at 1MW each; creating enough electricity to power about 400 homes.

Last week, both projects sailed though the County Planning Commission, but the project at the jail still needs Board approval for funding.  The Laguna Sanitation District project is already funded through a Qualified Clean Energy Bond (QCEB). The Calle Real project is hoping for the same type of bond funding.  On Tuesday the Board approved an application for a QCEB, but they must receive the bond and then the Board must approve the final contract.While there is still some uncertainty, we are hopeful that both projects will move forward.

If constructed, these projects would increase the amount of solar in Santa Barbara by approximately 30%.

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