ast week, Congresswoman Doris Matsui announced that Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD) and local partners will receive $5 million in federal grant funding from the Department of Energy (DOE) for the installation of California’s first ‘Solar Highway,’ a co-digestion facility, and three anaerobic digesters. This funding was authorized by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA).
“Today’s project announcement serves as a milestone for those in the Sacramento community who have strived to push our city forward as a clean-tech capital,” said Rep. Matsui. “With the added aid of these federal dollars, local stakeholders are able to progress further in spurring the local economy through investments in clean, green energy alternatives. This is an excellent example of a partnership that will benefit generations of Sacramentans, and Americans, for years to come.”
SMUD is already a leader in renewable energy. The funding will be applied to developing four renewable technologies that push the envelope and provide affordable energy solutions for customers. “The grant allows SMUD to demonstrate the nexus between the efforts of a public power utility and its program partners, to bring vision to reality and value to customers,” said SMUD General Manager & CEO John DiStasio.
The technology of collecting energy from solar panels within the vicinity of the public