Schwarzenegger’s solar power plan stalled

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) – Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s
campaign to expand the use of solar power in California will
likely move to the state’s Public Utilities Commission after
lawmakers failed to take it up late on Thursday, a commission
spokeswoman said on Friday.

A bill supported by Schwarzenegger aimed to put solar
energy panels on the roofs of one million new homes and
businesses within 10 years, raising California’s solar
generation from a current 100 megawatts to more than 3,000
megawatts, equivalent to 30 new “peaking” plants to deliver
power during high-demand periods.

That would make California the world’s third largest solar
energy producer behind Japan and Germany.

Schwarzenegger’s energy goals call for making renewable
energy like solar and wind power 20 percent of the state’s
electricity resources by 2017.

The solar bill made it through the state Senate but was
slowed in the Assembly by amendments on policy issues and never
got to a floor vote.

The California Public Utilities Commission is working on a
solar panel program with the governor’s office and the state
Energy Commission, a CPUC spokeswoman said on Friday.

“It looks like November is quite possible” to take it up,
said CPUC spokeswoman Terrie Prosper.

The regulatory commission, however, may not have the
authority to enable utility customers to get a credit on their
power bill for installing solar panels or require panels for
new homes, said Bernadette Del Chiaro, a clean energy supporter
for Environment California, a solar advocacy group.

Solar power supporters said the bill would reduce the cost
of solar energy and bring clean air and energy independence to
California. Electric utilities, manufacturing groups and other
opponents say the measure is too costly at an estimated $2.5
billion.

Most of the bill for the program would be paid by utility
customers through a surcharge set by the CPUC, plus rebates on
equipment and other incentives.