Pacific Gas and Electric offers solar to all

February 3, 2016 | By Barbara Vergetis Lundin

Customers asked and Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) listened.

With more than 50 percent of its customers saying they want to go solar, the utility has launched a new program that extends the option for 100 percent solar to all customers -- whether they are planning to install rooftop solar or not.

Credit: Salvatore Vuono/freedigitalphotos.net

With PG&E's Solar Choice, customers can purchase half or all of their electric power from solar energy locally sourced in Northern and Central California -- reducing their carbon footprint and driving the development of new solar resources within the state.

Approximately half of U.S. households and businesses are unable to install rooftop solar due to space, lack of sun exposure or ownership limitations, according to the DOE's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). PG&E's Solar Choice program extends solar access and benefits to residential and business customers regardless of their location or ability to physically install rooftop solar (for a fee). As the program develops, the solar energy purchased by customers will be sourced from new solar projects built by developers across PG&E's service area, bringing new green jobs to Northern and Central California.

"PG&E's Solar Choice program is all about giving customers more choice and control over their energy, and bringing the benefits of solar to our communities," said PG&E Senior Vice President and Chief Customer Officer Laurie Giammona. "Our customers already enjoy some of the cleanest power in the country. Now, they can directly contribute to bringing more renewable energy onto the electric grid -- a win for our customers and for California."

PG&E's Solar Choice can help renters, homeowners, businesses and cities meet their own sustainability, clean energy or climate goals. Additionally, participating organizations could qualify for LEED points for green building leadership, as well as the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Green Power Partnership for electricity generated from renewable resources.

PG&E also recently announced that all of its operations service centers -- nearly 100 facilities in Northern and Central California -- will be 100 percent powered by solar energy through its Solar Choice program.

By selecting the Solar Choice program for its operations service centers -- where local crews, vehicles and equipment are based -- PG&E aims to raise awareness of the program and encourage customers to consider signing up as well.

"Solar power is critical to achieving California's goals to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and we strongly support its growth -- whether it's for customers who install rooftop solar or for others through our Solar Choice program," said PG&E's Geisha Williams, president, Electric.

PG&E has already connected more than 200,000 rooftop solar customers to the grid -- more than any other U.S. utility -- and is one of the fastest utilities in the nation at connecting solar customers to the grid.

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