A typical neighborhood home in Chula Vista has been transformed into extraordinary, efficient, attractive, comfortable, and cost effective! The City of Chula Vista, ConSol, and San Diego Gas & Electric led a project team that retrofitted the house to achieve "deep" energy savings of over 50%, to demonstrate a new “plug & play” solar photovoltaic system, and to provide a local green job training opportunity.

Peter Hamilton, CCSE’s director of energy services, spoke to Fox 5 News about SDG&E’s proposed network use charge that will charge solar customers for the energy they put on the grid for others to use. “We are concerned with the message that this sends to those that have chosen to invest in solar energy,” Hamilton said.

Our success story this week takes us to San Diego, California, a leader in green living. Spurred on by the California Center for Sustainable Energy, San Diego is not only America's top solar city but also a leader in promoting the viability of electric cars.

CCSE’s Andrew McAllister, director of policy and strategy, spoke at a hearing of the California Assembly’s Select Committee on California’s Clean Energy Economy on Thursday, Aug. 4, during a session on clean energy job growth and state policies on energy efficiency.

San Diego Mayor Jerry Sanders announced today a new citywide program that provides special savings and discounts on home energy efficiency upgrades and solar energy installations as part of the San Diego Summer of Energy Independence. The program is now under way, and to participate, homeowners must sign up by October 20, 2011.

At a press conference on June 28 at CCSE, Mayor Sanders asked San Diegans to exercise their energy independence and to take at least one step during the next few months to conserve energy.  A few news TV clips:

KUSI

KFMB

KGTV

Loren Nancarrow’s interview with Jennifer Green about Energy Upgrade California and home energy performance shot at our test house is scheduled for Fox 5 news tonight. Times are 6 and 10 p.m.