Schwarzenegger's solar power plan stalled
Posted on: Friday, 9 September 2005, 16:21 CDT
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.
Source: REUTERS
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