City meeting energy goals

Glendale is well on its way to meeting state mandates that require cities to get 33% of their energy supplies from renewable resources such as wind, solar or landfill gas by 2020.

The state law, which takes effect Saturday, sets intermediary targets — the first of which Glendale Water & Power has already beat.

Officials say the utility currently has a renewable energy portfolio of 21%, above the first intermediary target of 20% by Dec. 31, 2013. The second target is 25% from renewable energy sources by Dec. 31, 2016.

The City Council unanimously approved Glendale Water & Power’s plan to meet the targets on Tuesday.

The utility had enough renewable energy sources, most of which came from wind and landfill gas, to hit 24% recently. However, it sold some renewable credits to Pasadena.

Next year, Glendale will be back up to 24%, excluding any new projects. Glendale also plans to buy power from 2,000-foot-tall La Paz Solar Tower in Arizona, to be completed in 2014, that could put the city ahead of schedule for the final benchmark.

Neighboring Burbank’s renewable portfolio is currently at 9%.