These ambitious goals can be achieved through a combination of local distributed renewable energy (solar, wind, and geothermal), energy conservation (including ongoing education for all energy consumers), and energy efficiency improvements in buildings and transportation.

Excluding building roofs that are shaded or facing the wrong direction, we can install solar heating or electricity generating systems on all roofs in DC and generate 20% of our power. Once we improve building efficiency and help consumers learn to lower their consumption, we can produce much more of our energy within DC, creating jobs here and keeping money flowing within our own economy.

A creative public/private financing program could lower the cost of solar power so it is affordable to everyone in DC. Properly structured, it would take advantage of federal tax credits to pay 50% of the cost of all solar installations, yet homeowners, government agencies, and nonprofits are not eligible to use them all. This can happen without additional DC taxpayer dollars.

Solar power is relatively new to most DC residents, who don't know that solar panels can generate some or all of the energy needed to heat, cool, and power their homes or businesses. Once people see buildings with solar panels and hear from other people about the benefits, they want solar power for themselves. With public-private financing for these systems, there would be no up-front costs for new systems, and they'd be available to people at all income levels.