Solar panels could be coming to the city of Columbia’s residential neighborhoods in the next three years.
At the city council meeting last night, a request to raise Columbia’s Renewable energy standards to 80% percent was well-received. Monta Welch is President of the interfaith Care for Creation. The plan includes putting solar panels on houses and having the city buy the energy they produce.
“Our citizens become mini-power plants if you will. These citizens would be producing on their roofs, much of the time, most if not all of their electrical needs,” Welch says.
Welch spoke out against cheaper and taxpayer and subsidized sources of energy such as hydraulic fracturing because of the environment impact of those methods.
The council is currently weighing their options.
Revised to correct renewable standards figure 12/5/12 2:37 PM.