November 8, 2024
Nyasha Smith, Secretary
Council of the District of Columbia
1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, D.C. 20004
Today, along with Councilmembers Frumin, Lewis George, Nadeau, and Robert White, I am
introducing the “Solar Shade Expansion Amendment Act of 2024”.
The summer of 2024 was one of the hottest seasons recorded since 1880, narrowly beating heat
records set just a year earlier in 2023.
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The scientific evidence has made it abundantly clear that
human activity is the most significant driver of the changes in climate we are experiencing locally
and around the world. Burning fossil fuels – such as coal, oil, and gas – emits greenhouse gasses
that amplify the Earth’s natural greenhouse effect, warming the planet at a dangerous rate. In
addition to their impact on climate, the burning of fossil fuels also has deleterious effects on
human health, as well as air and water quality.
For its part, the District has planned to transition away from fossil fuels and towards clean,
renewable sources of energy. For example, the District's Renewable Portfolio Standard requires
that 100% of the electricity sold in the city be from renewable sources by 2032 – 5.5% of which
must be solar energy. But there is a pressing need to both accelerate our progress towards that
goal while also alleviating the impact of extreme weather – especially on our most vulnerable
populations, including children.
Solar canopies are a promising tool that can both help mitigate the human impacts on climate
while also providing relief from rising temperatures. Solar canopies are structures that elevate
solar panels above the ground, generating solar energy while providing shade. Solar canopies
help maximize use of limited space in the District for solar panel installations. Solar canopies have
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National Aeronautics and Space Administration, NASA Finds Summer 2024 Hottest to Date (September 11, 2024),
https://www.nasa.gov/earth/nasa-finds-summer-2024-hottest-to-date/. already been mounted over parking decks
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and school playgrounds
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in the District. In other
countries, like South Korea, for example, solar canopies have also been installed to provide shade
over bike lanes.
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This legislation would require that the District government identify 20 sites, ranging from
playgrounds and parks to sidewalks, bike lanes, and roads, that could benefit from solar canopies.
The goals are to provide shade, reduce heat exposure, and provide clean energy to our power
grid all at once. The bill then requires funding in the District’s Capital Improvements Plan for five
capital projects to include solar shade as soon as the FY27 budget and all projects beginning in
FY28. It also permits the Department of Energy and Environment to issue grants to private
entities in pursuit of solar shade projects.
Sincerely,
Councilmember Charles Allen, Ward 6
Chairperson, Committee on Transportation & the Environment
2
Innovation District, D.C. leaders unveil city’s largest solar canopy at Children’s National Research & Innovation
Campus (April 27, 2021), https://innovationdistrict.childrensnational.org/dc-leaders-unveil-citys-largest-solar-
canopy-at-research-innovation-campus/.
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https://www.ludlowtaylor.org/spaces/
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Hakyung Kate Lee, Solar panel bike lane generates eco-friendly energy in South Korea, ABC NEWS (September 25,
2022), https://abcnews.go.com/International/solar-panel-bike-lane-generates-eco-friendly-
energy/story?id=90197800.
_______________________________ _______________________________ 1
Councilmember Matthew Frumin Councilmember Charles Allen 2
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___________________________ ______________________________ 6
Councilmember Janeese Lewis George Councilmember Brianne K. Nadeau 7
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_____________________________ 11
Councilmember Robert C. White, Jr. 12
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A BILL 15
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IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA 20
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To amend the Clean and Affordable Energy Amendment Act of 2008 to require that the 25
Department of Energy and the Environment publish a feasibility study regarding the 26
installation of solar canopies in the District, to require that the District’s capital 27
improvement plan include funding for the installation of solar canopies, to authorize the 28
Department of the Energy and the Environment to issue grants to support the installation 29
of solar canopies, to require that the Department of Energy and the Environment update 30
the original study, and to require that new capital projects included in the capital 31
improvement plan for which the installation of solar canopies is possible shall provide for 32
the installation of solar canopies on some portion or portions of the capital project’s 33
footprint. 34
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this 36
act may be cited as the “Solar Shade Expansion Amendment Act of 2024”. 37
Sec. 2. The Clean and Affordable Energy Amendment Act of 2008, effective October 22, 38
2008, (D.C. Law 17-250; D.C. Official Code § 8–1773.01 et seq.), is amended by adding a new 39
section 218 to read as follows: 40 “Sec. 218. Solar canopy feasibility study; capital funding requirements and grantmaking 41
authority; updated study. 42
“(a)(1) By January 1, 2026, DOEE shall conduct and publish a study analyzing the 43
feasibility of installing solar canopies to expand solar energy generation while providing shade in 44
at least 20 locations in the District, including at least 5 of each of the following: 45
“(A) Buildings or land owned by the District, such as recreation centers, 46
parks, pools, playgrounds, parking lots, and parking decks, selected after consultation with the 47
Department of General Services and the Department of Parks and Recreation; 48
“(B) District roadways, sidewalks, bike lanes, and cycletracks, selected 49
after consultation with the District Department of Transportation; and 50
“(C) Private property, such as parking decks, surface parking lots, and 51
common areas in commercial buildings and residential buildings, selected after consultation with 52
the Department of Buildings. 53
“(2) The study shall: 54
“(A) Compare, between various locations in the District, the: 55
“(i) Potential to generate solar energy; 56
“(ii) Desirability or benefits of providing shade; 57
“(iii) Costs of installing solar canopies; and 58
“(iv) Difficulty of installing solar canopies, including any legal or 59
administrative barriers unrelated to cost; 60
“(B) Recommend settings, based on the factors described in subparagraph 61
(A) of this paragraph, where the installation of solar canopies should be prioritized; and 62 “(C) Identify at least 5 specific locations in the District where the 63
installation of at least 500 square feet of solar canopies can feasibly be installed during Fiscal Year 64
2027. 65
“(b) Beginning January 1, 2027: 66
“(1) The multiyear capital improvement plan proposed by the Mayor in the annual 67
budget pursuant to § 47–339.01(a) shall, for any project encompassing any of the locations 68
identified in subsection (a)(1) of this section, include funding sufficient to support the installation 69
of solar canopies; and 70
“(2) DOEE may issue grants to private entities to support the installation of solar 71
canopies on private property in settings recommended by the study as described in subsection 72
(a)(1)(C). 73
“(c)(1) No later than September 30, 2028, DOEE shall publish an updated study analyzing 74
the outcomes of any solar canopies installed at locations identified in the original study. 75
“(2) The updated study conducted pursuant to this subsection shall: 76
“(A) Update the comparison of factors described in subsection (a)(2)(A) of 77
this section; 78
“(B) Identify locations, based on the updated comparison described in 79
subparagraph (A), where the District should require the installation of other solar canopies in 80
public and private settings; 81
“(C) Recommend financial incentives, including grants and tax exemptions, 82
to facilitate the installation of solar canopies; and 83
“(D) Describe any regulatory, administrative, or legislative changes that 84
would expedite or facilitate the installation of solar canopies across the District. 85 “(d) Beginning January 1, 2030, every new capital project included in the capital 86
improvement plan for which the installation of solar canopies is possible shall provide for the 87
installation of solar canopies on some portion or portions of the capital project’s footprint.”. 88
Sec. 3. Fiscal impact statement. 89
The Council adopts the fiscal impact statement in the committee report as the fiscal impact 90
statement required by section 4a of the General Legislative Procedures Act of 1975, approved 91
October 16, 2006 (120 Stat. 2038; D.C. Official Code § 1-301.47a). 92
Sec. 4. Effective date. 93
This act shall take effect after approval by the Mayor (or in the event of veto by the 94
Mayor, action by the Council to override the veto), a 30-day period of congressional review as 95
provided in section 602(c)(1) of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act, approved December 24, 96
1973 (87 Stat. 813; D.C. Official Code § 1-206.02(c)(1)), and publication in the District of 97
Columbia Register. 98