January 21, 2008

BART Ups Green Ante

Bookmark and Share Email this story Print this post Add your comments

The BART Board of Directors voted unanimously to lift the price cap on the purchase of alternative energy, reports the San Francisco Chronicle. The initiative, which could add an estimated $1.8 million to the rail system’s annual power bill, will raise the $70-per-megawatt hour price-limit for green power so that BART can seek other alternative energy, much of which averages $100 per megawatt hour.

Currently, more than half of BART’s power comes from hydroelectric, and while that is considered a renewable source, it falls into a different category from wind, wave, solar or thermal. Tom Radulovich, BART’s director, said that the new investment can be used as a catalyst to expand the alternative-energy supply, which may help bring the price down.

BART is in the top ten of electricity users in Northern California and has set a goal of getting 20 percent of its energy from alternative sources by 2010. The Northern California Power Agency has agreed to supply BART with seven megawatts of renewable energy.

Recently, New York City’s MTA launched a sustainability initiative, and last year, Cincinnati’s transit authority claimed that switching to biodiesel in its buses saved the city almost half a million dollars.

Bookmark and Share Email this story Print this post Add your comments

Advertisers

Join the Discussion

Get EL Daily in your inbox, subscribe to free newsletter

Recent Daily News [ see all ]

  • 11/06/2009
  • 11/05/2009
  • 11/04/2009

Industry Voices [ see all ]

Greening the Automotive Supply Chain

Greening the Automotive Supply Chain

A Roadmap for a Renewable Energy Partnership

A Roadmap for a Renewable Energy Partnership

Forest Carbon Core to Climate Change Deal

Forest Carbon Core to Climate Change Deal

ARPA-E Deserves Support

ARPA-E Deserves Support

VCS and CarbonFix Tops in Review of Forestry Carbon Standards

VCS and CarbonFix Tops in Review of Forestry Carbon Standards