The CPUC has a pending regulatory package with provisions to carry out
this incentive program and promote solar installations in residential
construction.
On Thursday, the Governor announced his intention to "aggressively pursue"
his initiative with the CPUC, overcoming the obstacles presented by the
Legislature and its special interest issues at the end of this year's
session.
"Energy is one of the most important issues in our state. Solar energy is
a renewable resource, and one that California should capitalize on. By
producing power from the sun, we are cleaning the air, helping our
climate, and reducing the burden on our electricity transmission grid,"
said Governor Schwarzenegger. "Unfortunately, special interests were put
in front of the peoples' interests when Senate Bill 1 was amended with
rules and requirements that would only benefit labor unions instead of
consumers, our environment and energy supplies."
Schwarzenegger played a major role in crafting the legislation. The
proposal (SB1) to put one million solar installations on homes and
businesses in California stalled in September after union-sponsored
amendments made it unsupportable by Republicans and some Democrats.
The Governor's initiative is a comprehensive incentive-based approach to
solar development including new home construction, industrial and
commercial uses. By encouraging the integration of solar power, the
initiative would provide approximately 3,000 MW - enough to power three
million homes - of peak energy, the most costly and scarce energy
available.
The proposal establishes a 13-year declining rebate structure designed to
expand the use of solar energy in homes and businesses across California.
The Solar Million Roofs Initiative had bipartisan support until the end of
the legislative session when union-sponsored amendments made it
unsupportable because of increased costs associated with required
prevailing wages and non-solar related labor provisions. SB1 stalled in
the Assembly Appropriations Committee (for solar industry reaction to
union issues, see the link below to read a related story).
