San Francisco (Platts)--11Sep2007

A bill that would create a $250-million, 10-year rebate program for
homeowners and businesses who invested in solar-power water heating technology
cleared the California Senate late Monday and will face its final vote in the
state Assembly later this week.

     It is hoped the bill (AB 1470), authored by Assemblyman Jared Huffman,
will lead to the installation of 200,000 solar hot water systems by 2017 and
create a mainstream market for solar technologies. The fund for the water
heating systems would come from a small surcharge on power bills.

     "Harnessing the sun to meet our daily energy needs is a no-brainer,
especially in California. Solar water heating is another way we can make
California the Saudi Arabia of the sun," said Bernadette Del Chiaro, clean
energy advocate for Environment California.

     If the bill passes the Assembly under a concurrence vote, it will head to
the desk of California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger.