Hot off the press: The CPUC just voted 3-1 in favor of the California Solar Initiative. That’s a total of $3.2 billion for solar incentives over 11 years, enough for 3,000 MW of solar on the equivalent of 1 million California roofs.

Friends, this is a significant victory, and it provides hope for the future on many levels. Commissioners Peevey, Greuneich, and Chong voted affirmatively. They spoke of their votes—appropriately—in historic terms, and received a spontaneous standing ovation.

Commissioner Brown, the lone dissent, remarked that while he supported the goal, he felt the need to vote against for largely procedural reasons, among other concerns.

If you are in the Bay Area, please join us at 4:30 tonight at San Francisco City Hall for a reception with Mayor Gavin Newsom, Bill Reilly (Clean Tech Advisory Council, past Administrator of EPA, and Elliot Hoffman (New Voice of Business) and other solar luminaries. Just a guess here, but I’m thinking people will be in a good mood, and the celebration will be *robust*.

Invitation details at: http://www.votesolar.org/Solar_Reception.pdf

Special thanks to Sierra Nevada, Wolaver’s, and Butte Creek for generously donating refreshments.

We’ve posted analyses on the impacts of this program at http://www.votesolar.org/cali.html

We’ll collate press and make updates there as necessary.

In the meantime, raise a toast to the leadership and foresight of the California Public Utilities Commission. They deserve our thanks. If you can, send a note of appreciation to public.advisor@cpuc.ca.gov.