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Did You Know?

Did you know that solar energy depends on nuclear power? The power plant, however, is called the Sun and is 93 million miles away.

Two billion people in the world have no access to electricity. For most of them, solar photovoltaics would be their cheapest electricity source, but they cannot afford it.
Source: www.solarbuzz.com

EPA Region 10 Manchester Laboratory Solar Project, PV panel, www.nrel.gov

Go Solar California! News

Members of the News Media, please contact:

California Energy Commission
Media & Public Communications Office
1516 Ninth Street, MS-29
Sacramento, CA 95814
Phone: 916-654-4989
mediaoffice@energy.state.ca.us

California Public Utilities Commission
505 Van Ness Ave.
San Francisco, CA 94102-3298
For media calls only:
Please contact Terrie Prosper at tdp@cpuc.ca.gov or 415-703-2160.




News Releases and Announcements

Latest Items

  • April 22, 2008 - Gov. Schwarzenegger Commemorates Earth Day, Dedicates Natural Landmark and Launches Solar Project

  • April 21, 2008 - News Release: GoSolarCalifornia.org Web Site Re-Launched. Internet Portal Makes It Even Easier To Learn About Solar Energy; New Solar Homes across the State

  • April 17, 2008 - News Release: SMUD closer to providing solar power for all. Awards solar power contract to build 1 MW panel array for SolarShares program (PDF file)

  • April 17, 2008 - Agenda for California Solar Initiative Forum to be held at the Victoria Gardens Cultural Center, 12505 Cultural Center Drive, Rancho Cucamonga, California. Please see PDF file agenda. (PDF file, 1 page, 36 kilobytes)

    Presentations from Meeting, posted 4/18/08. (PDF file, 119 pages, 1.1 megabytes)
  • April 16, 2008 - News Release: Kyocera and Point Loma Nazarene University Announce Plan to Build a 450 kW Solar Energy System on San Diego Campus

  • California Solar Initiative - California Public Utilities Commission, Staff Progress Report, April 2008, posted April 15, 2008, CPUC publication. (PDF file, 54 pages, 840 kilobytes)




California Solar Initiative Newsletter

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Archive

    2008
  • April 10, 2008 - News Release: Gov. Schwarzenegger Applauds Bipartisan U.S. Senate Support for Extending Renewable Energy and Efficiency Tax Credits

  • April 8, 2008 - News Release: SMUD and Woodside Homes agree to build almost 1,500 solar homes (PDF file)

  • April 1, 2008 - News Release: PG&E Signs Contracts with BrightSource Energy for up to 900 Megawatts of Solar Thermal Power

  • March 27, 2008 - News Release: Gov. Schwarzenegger Highlights Nation's Largest Rooftop Solar Installation Project as Key to Achieving California's Renewable Energy Goals

  • March 27, 2008 - News Release: Southern California Edison Launches Nation's Largest Solar Panel Installation

  • March 13, 2008 - In compliance with its procedural and statutory requirements, the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) closed the expired California Solar Initiative (CSI) proceeding docket (R.06-03-004) and reopened the proceeding under docket number R.08-03-008. This Order initiates a Rulemaking to continue the work from Rulemaking 06-03-004 related to policies, rules and implementation of the California Solar Initiative, the Self-Generation Incentive Program, and general issues relating to distributed generation. The CPUC will convene a Prehearing Conference on April 22, 2008, to discuss the ongoing scope and schedule of the CSI program. NOTE: The CPUC's Process Office will create a new service list for this proceeding. Parties currently on the service list for R.06-03-004 and R.04-03-017 will NOT automatically be placed on the new service list for R.08-03-008 and must follow CPUC procedure outlined in Section 5 of the Rulemaking to be added to the new service list. To view Rulemaking (R.)08-03-008, please go to: http://docs.cpuc.ca.gov/PUBLISHED/AGENDA_DECISION/79948.htm

  • February 1, 2008 - News Release: Solar Integrated Announces Continued Production Ramp with Governor Schwarzenegger, Senator McCain and Mayor Giuliani On Hand

  • California Solar Initiative - California Public Utilities Commission, Staff Progress Report, January 2008, posted January 25, 2008, CPUC publication. (PDF file, 43 pages, 504 kilobytes)

  • January 7, 2008, Notice of Availability and link to download Guidelines for California's Solar Electric Incentive Program Pursuant to Senate Bill 1, (publication # CEC-300-2007-012-CMF) adopted December 19, 2007, at the Energy Commission Business Meeting.

  • January 7, 2008 - News Release: GE Unit Partners with SunPower on California Solar Projects; Multi-Project Financing Agreement Streamlines Solar Power System Implementation. Includes 2.3-megawatt rooftop solar power system at the Toyota Motor Sales, USA Ontario Parts Center in Ontario, California; the largest single-roof solar power installation in the United States.




  • 2007
  • December 20, 2007, CPUC Establishes California Solar Initiative Eligibility Requirements For Solar Thermal Technologies

  • December 5, 2007, Energy Policy Report Puts Greenhouse Gas Reductions Front and Center of State Agenda

  • November 16, 2007, PUC Adopts Low-Income Solar Incentive Program For Single Family Homes

  • October 29, 2007, U.S. Department of Energy Announces Solicitation for 2008 Solar America Cities

  • October 12, 2007 - CPUC News Release: PUC President Applauds Governor's Signing of Solar Water Heating And Efficiency Act of 2007

  • PROGRAM UPDATE - September 12, 2007 - Update on the CPUC California Solar Initiative Program Administration . (PDF file, 2 page, 268 kb)

  • New Solar Homes Partnership Training Workshops: Summer 2007 - Flyer, Workshops being held Auguust 28, 2007 - Irwindale, September 6, 2007 - San Francisco, and September 20, 2007 - San Diego. (PDF file, 1 page, 152 kb)

  • PROGRAM UPDATE - August 30, 2007 - Update on the CPUC California Solar Initiative Program Administration . (PDF file, 2 page, 276 kb)

  • PROGRAM UPDATE - July 25, 2007: News Release - Changes to the New Solar Homes Partnership Program Guidebook. (PDF file, 1 page, 75 kb)

  • June 7, 2007: News Release - CPUC and Legislature remove mandatory Time Of Use requirement. (PDF file, 2 pages, 56 kb)

  • April 26, 2007: News Release - Solar Task Force Announces Policy Recommendations That Aim to Make San Francisco the Nation's Leading Solar City. (PDF file, 1 page, 144 kb)

  • January 31, 2007 - Flyer on Solar America Initiative, U.S. Department of Energy's program for Solar City Partnerships. Deadline for applications, 2/21/2007. (PDF file, 1 page, 432 kilobytes)




  • 2006
  • PROGRAM UPDATE - December 15, 2006: Upcoming Changes to the Solar Photovoltaic Incentive Programs - joint informational fact sheet from Energy Commission and CPUC. (PDF file, 7 pages, 176 kilobytes)

  • PROGRAM UPDATE - December 6, 2006: Upcoming Changes to the Solar Photovoltaic Incentive Programs - joint informational fact sheet from Energy Commission and CPUC. (PDF file, 6 pages, 196 kilobytes)

  • PROGRAM UPDATE - November 15, 2006: Upcoming Changes to the Solar Photovoltaic Incentive Programs - joint informational fact sheet from Energy Commission and CPUC. (PDF file, 6 pages, 152 kilobytes)

  • PROGRAM UPDATE - November 9, 2006: Upcoming Changes to the Solar Photovoltaic Incentive Programs - joint informational fact sheet from Energy Commission and CPUC. (PDF file, 2 pages, 196 kilobytes)

  • October 19, 2006 - Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger unveils the Go Solar California! website at the "Solar Power 2006" Conference in San Jose.

  • October 11, 2006: State Loans City of San Diego $2.2 Million for Energy Efficiency, Solar Power - California Energy Commission

  • October 4, 2006: CHANGE A LIGHT, CHANGE THE WORLD campaign aims to increase energy efficiency statewide - California Energy Commission & ENERGY STAR®

  • September 28, 2006: Energy Commission Awards Renewable Energy Research Funding Projects Include Improving Wind Energy, Solar, Energy Storage Cells - California Energy Commission

  • August 24, 2006: PUC Adopts Performance-Based Incentive Program for Groundbreaking California Solar Initiative.

  • August 21, 2006 - News Release: Million Solar Roofs Bill (SB 1) Signed Into Law

  • April 26, 2006: New Web site to strengthen solar market in New Home Construction - California Energy Commission

  • March 3, 2006: California Schools Get an "A" in Solar - California Energy Commission

  • January 27, 2006: Committee elected to guide renewable energy generation in the Western United States - California Energy Commission

  • January 12, 2006: PUC Creates Groundbreaking Solar Energy Program




  • 2005
  • December 15, 2005: PUC Increases Funding for Solar Technologies




  • 2004
  • August 20, 2004: News Release - Governor Schwarzenegger Million Solar Homes Plan