On October 8, 2009, the Department of Energy announced a grant of $10M through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act for 40 new Solar America Cities Special Projects in 16 cities. This funding will enable the cities to increase solar energy use in their communities through innovative programs and policies that can then be replicated across the nation.

Following are details about how eight of these 16 major cities are utilizing their portion of the allotted money.

Boston, MA – With some of the highest energy prices in the country, Boston will be among the first cities in which solar power achieves equality with traditional energy sources. Contrary to the belief that solar energy alternatives only work in warmer climates, “Solar Boston” plans to speed up its development of its solar energy projects and move ahead with plans for large-scale solar energy procurement.

Milwaukee, WI – The goals of the new “Milwaukee Shines” program are to reduce barriers to solar energy procurement by leveraging the experienced and expertise of its strategic project partners in their endeavors. They will work to build a strong solar-efficient workforce by increasing the number of solar installers via training and certification. By analyzing market segments, they will determine key areas for solar-powered business opportunities, then support those existing businesses while encouraging the addition of new ones.

New Orleans, LA – This city finds itself with a unique opportunity to encourage solar usage, given its current rebuilding operations. They plan to encourage acceptance of solar technology by implementing it in the renovation and construction of new homes and businesses wherever feasible. They also plan to install solar systems on city government installations and provide incentives for the use of solar technology in residential communities.

New York City, NY – New York plans to create a competitive and sustainable solar energy market using a 3-part strategy to provide the city with reliable, affordable – and clean – electricity for its inhabitants. The strategy includes: support by reducing obstacles and educating its workforce; using its resources to stimulate the market and force lower prices and put plans in place to monitor future growth. By conducting a feasibility study of real-time pricing and evaluating the best integration methods, they hope to create new municipal solar energy incentives.

Portland, OR – The city of Portland plans to transform its solar program for city operations, residents and businesses in conjunction with its current “Solar Now” program by working with other city divisions to modernize city directives for homeowners, businesses and contractors. To facilitate this market renovation, Portland officials plan to use its resources to reach a larger regional community. In collaboration with its partners and other jurisdictions, Portland expects to be a leader in solar energy utilization by the end of this year.

San Diego, CA – The 8th largest city in the nation, San Diego has seen a substantial increase in its energy demand due to its rapid population spurt. Its climate makes it a perfect candidate for expanded solar energy programs, and officials aim to improve the city’s sustainability by building a diversified, self-contained energy network. By working with state, local and federal representatives, San Diego plans to expedite its long-term solar energy goals and create a blueprint for the nation via its “Sustainable Energy 2050 Plan.”

San Francisco, CA – A leader in the advancement of solar energy for commercial, residential and municipal divisions since the early ‘70’s, this city’s voters endorsed a landmark $100 million bond initiative to pay for solar installations for public facilities. Their project, “Solar San Francisco”, is working to remove obstacles in reaching the city’s goal to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions to below 1990 levels by 2012. Their 3-point plans includes developing programs to group residential and commercial customers in large purchasing pools, identifying sites for large installations and then contacting the land owners and developing a plan to solve the challenges of harnessing solar energy in multi-tenant buildings.

Seattle, WA – Though one of the wettest states in the country, the Seattle Solar Initiative is working to break through the obstacles associated with the implementation of solar energy programs, and it’s not the weather. They are working to meet the same challenges as the rest of the country: economics, planning, infrastructure and awareness. The city has joined forces with a results-proven team of partners to assist with public planning, financial analysis, renewable energy and site analysis for its renewable energy project development.