California Solar Set To Launch 1st Project In LADWP's New Solar Feed-in Tariff Program

LOS ANGELES, Nov. 21, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- An 86-year-old company that has helped develop some of the nation's most celebrated trophies and awards will be the latest business to join the CLEAN LA Solar program – the nation's largest urban rooftop solar program. A solar array on the roof of Southern California Trophy Company's 20,000-square-foot downtown production facility is expected to go live this week, providing 134.4 kilowatts of solar energy for customers of DWP.

The project is the largest in the DWP's feed-in tariff (FiT) program, also known as CLEAN LA Solar, and the first installation in Downtown L.A.

Southern California Trophy Company is a local institution still operating under its original family ownership. For over 80 years, the company has been involved in the creation and production of the world's most recognizable awards, including the Oscars, the Golden Globes, the Screen Actors Guild Awards and the gold medals for the 1932 L.A. Olympic Games.

The project was developed and managed by California Solar, Inc., an L.A. County solar company specializing in rooftop solar systems, with system design by 3 Phase Energy and installation by JusMark Electric.

"We're proud to deliver the first Standard Offer feed-in tariff solar project. It does so much to support the local economy," said Will Breiholz, President of California Solar, Inc. "All development, design, installation and ongoing operation has been in the hands of small businesses based right here in Los Angeles. The solar system will continue to reap rewards for a business that's been part of our community for three generations."

The CLEAN LA Solar program is a groundbreaking new energy program that supplies zero-carbon, renewable energy for Los Angeles while creating jobs and fueling private investment. The largest urban rooftop solar program of its kind in the nation, CLEAN LA Solar allows commercial property owners to generate energy through solar panels and sell it back to the DWP at a fixed rate. The program is currently authorized to generate 150 megawatts of clean solar energy, enough to power over 30,000 households.

"We are thrilled to be one of the first businesses to partner with the LADWP to help accelerate our city's move toward clean energy," said Karl Bathke, owner of Southern California Trophy Company. "We hope to serve as a model for other small businesses in our area that may be interested in signing up for their own solar projects in the months and years to come."

Launched earlier this year, the CLEAN LA Solar program is supported by the Los Angeles Business Council alongside dozens of local businesses and organizations in the CLEAN LA Coalition, and is expected to generate 4,500 jobs over the next five years. At least half of the program's solar installations are expected in "solar hotspots" – areas of the city with the highest solar potential and the highest economic need, creating jobs in the places where people are ready to work.

"We congratulate CLEAN LA Coalition member California Solar and the Southern California Trophy Company for launching Downtown Los Angeles' first CLEAN LA Solar project," said Mary Leslie, President of the Los Angeles Business Council. "We also thank the DWP for their cooperation in making this installation a reality. We're confident that this project will help pave the way for other forward-thinking businesses to join the clean energy movement."

The Southern California Trophy Company project will be the first to launch in the DWP's core feed-in tariff portfolio; a separate project on the roof of a North Hollywood apartment building went live earlier this year as part of the FiT's preliminary demonstration program.

"This project is a perfect example of what can be accomplished when the City and small businesses work alongside each other," said L.A. Chief Sustainability Officer Matt Petersen. "It's an innovative investment in our community that will bring about huge returns for the environment and local businesses alike for years to come."

"I am excited to see this local institution making an innovative investment like this that will not only benefit our environment, but also local businesses and workers," said L.A. City Councilmember Curren Price, who represents the area where SoCal Trophy is located. "I hope it helps incent others – especially in our community – to do the same."

To learn more about the CLEAN LA Solar program, please visit www.cleanlasolar.org.

To learn more about the LADWP FiT Program and the application process, please visit www.ladwp.com/fit.

For more information about this project and the financial returns of solar watch this video: www.ca-solar.com

ABOUT SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA TROPHY COMPANY
Southern California Trophy Company, Inc. (SCTC) was established in 1927 in Los Angeles, California by Edwin Bathke. Our company is among the oldest and largest awards companies in the nation. Still situated within two miles of our original downtown location, we remain under the same original family ownership residing in a 20,000-square foot production facility. For more information, please visit www.socaltrophy.com.

ABOUT CALIFORNIA SOLAR, INC.
California Solar is your full service solar solution for both commercial and residential solar photovoltaic systems throughout California. Dedicated to making solar electricity more accessible to businesses and homeowners, California Solar delivers the highest value projects to maximize our client's return on investment and enhance the environment. For more information, please visit www.ca-solar.com.

SOURCE California Solar, Inc.