To the editor:

According to a recent (April 9) article in the New York Times, the city of Lancaster, Calif., is the new solar capital of America with an ambitious goal: producing more electricity from solar energy than it consumes! Currently, it has reached 40 percent of its goal. Although the electricity produced will cost about 15 percent more than electricity from the grid, it will be much cleaner and make the community and homeowners energy independent.

Part of this transformation has been accomplished by creating a municipal utility to buy and install solar panels. Plus, the city requires that new homes come equipped with solar panels. Lawrence receives sufficient sunshine to make it the solar capital of the Midwest if the community adopts and implements this visionary goal.