Bay Area Climate Collaborative and East Bay Green Corridor Partner to Advance Solar Energy Initiative
- December 1, 2010
Partnership will Promote Regional Uniform Solar Permitting Process and Accelerate Strategies Supporting the Clean Energy Economy
The Bay Area Climate Collaborative (BACC) and the East Bay Green Corridor (“Green Corridor”) today formally announced a partnership to accelerate the clean energy economy. Together, they will advance clean energy initiatives that can be taken to scale and bring economic benefits to the region. The first priority is to streamline the solar energy permitting process for residential and commercial installations, making it easier to do business and create economies of scale.
Berkeley Mayor Tom Bates, Chair of the Green Corridor said, “Silicon Valley and the East Bay are at the heart of the most advanced research, development and deployment of green technologies in the state – and when it comes to private investment in this arena, we place in the top two respectively in all of California. It is a tremendous opportunity to work together to have the greatest impact in reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the region, while building our local economy. We look forward to this new partnership.”
Dr. Paul Alivisatos, Director of Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory commented, “I welcome greater opportunities to share the Lab’s green science and technology research and climate change initiatives through our partnership in this Bay Area-wide venture. It will provide countless benefits for all parties, for our economy and for our environment.”
BACC Director Rafael Reyes said, “Combining the leadership and expertise of the East Bay Green Corridor with the complementary reach and partnerships of the Bay Area Climate Collaborative ensures that we have all the right people in the room, enabling swift action to reduce the solar process costs faced by both governments and industry and to accelerate solar power in the region. We are thrilled to partner with the East Bay Green Corridor and look forward to strengthening the regional clean energy economy together.”
About the Bay Area Climate Collaborative
The Bay Area Climate Collaborative (BACC) was launched by the mayors of San Francisco, San Jose and Oakland to accelerate clean energy in the region and make the Bay Area a national model. A public-private initiative, the BACC includes major partners Bank of America, Pacific Gas & Electric, California Energy Commission and the Environmental Defense Fund, as well as local governments representing over 70% of the Bay Area population. With its ambitious 10-point action plan, the BACC is driving innovation, such as an exciting $5 million electric vehicle national demonstration project for Bay Area municipal fleets. For more information on the BACC, please visit: http://www.baclimate.org
About the East Bay Green Corridor
The Green Corridor was established in 2007 by UC Berkeley, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, and the cities of Berkeley, Emeryville, Oakland and Richmond to create a thriving region of green technology innovation, commercialization and local economic development in a manner that creates high quality jobs and meets environmental and social goals. In 2009, the group added the cities of Alameda, Albany, El Cerrito and San Leandro, plus Peralta Community College District and California State University, East Bay. The Green Corridor became one of the State’s officially designated Innovation Hubs (“iHubs”) in September 2010.
The Corridor is housed within the East Bay Economic Development Alliance office (EBEDA). For more information about the Green Corridor, please visit: http://www.ebgreencorridor.org
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