Metro goes solar: The latest from Metro's board meeting

The following essay is a guest post by Damien Newton, author of the blog Street Heat LA .

At Thursday's meeting, Metro’s Board moved forward with a plan to reduce its own carbon footprint, and save itself some money, by embracing solar technology at its largest garage.

Everyone knows that commuting via bus or train is an environmentally-friendly way to travel, but a new plan to "Go Green" at the Metro Support Services Center (MSSC) shows a new way for Metro to help the environment. By turning the Metro bus fleet's home for central maintenance, painting, restoration and engine rebuilds into one that is almost completely solar-powered, Metro won’t only be saving money, it will turn what is essentially a giant auto-shop into a green-friendly building.

The retrofit of the MSSC will include:

• Completion of a minimum 1,000 kW (1 megawatt) rooftop-mounted photovoltaic solar generation system
• Installation of Web-based direct digital control of temperature control , and monitoring and control of all interior large area lighting systems
• Replacement of over 4,000 lighting fixtures
• Replacement of three older and inefficient packaged HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning)
• Installation of two new air compressors and optimization of the existing compressed air system

Metro estimates that over the next 30 years it will save money. The capital costs of installation will be more than made up by energy savings, and if the energy produced by the panels isn’t what is expected, the contractor (Chevron Energy Solutions) will pay Metro the difference.

Aside from bus maintenance and rebuild functions, the MSSC also houses administrative offices, Operations Central Instruction, Stops and Zones, and the Central Warehouse for all operations.

Other news and notes from the board’s agenda:

1) Metro released its long range plan for public comment

2) All people aged 62 and over will receive a senior discount

3) The controversial plan to install turnstiles was delayed

4) A vote on a farebox recovery plan that would lead to more fare increases was delayed

Visit Damien Newton's blog Street Heat LA for more information on the board meeting and other transportation matters.

Photo by Jonathan Pobre via Flickr