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Politics : Rat's Nest - Chronicles of Collapse -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Wharf Rat who wrote (689)	6/29/2005 11:19:04 AM
From: Wharf Rat	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 24225

"the ability for consumers to receive a credit on their monthly utility bills for excess electricity generated by their solar panels." Just in time :-) State senators pass 'Million Solar Roofs' bill Business Times Staff Passing its first major milestone the "Million Solar Roofs" bill cleared the state Senate in May on a 28-3 vote. Senate Bill 1, co-authored by senators Kevin Murray, D-Los Angeles, and John Campbell, R-Orange County, and endorsed by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, would establish the nation's largest, long-term solar power program. It aims to clear the way for a million solar-powered homes and businesses over 20 years, including building half of all new homes with solar power by 2017. "Momentum for establishing the nation's biggest solar power program is on our side now," Bernadette Del Chiaro, advocate with Environment California, a leading supporter of the bill, said in a written statement. "The California Senate demonstrated tremendous bipartisan leadership today advancing a commonsense policy that will give all Californians cleaner air and greater energy independence," she said. Key provisions of the bill include enhanced financial incentives for homeowners and businesses to invest in solar, such as upfront rebates and the ability for consumers to receive a credit on their monthly utility bills for excess electricity generated by their solar panels. SB 1 also will jump-start the new solar home market by requiring that solar power become a standard offer for all new home buyers. Opposition to the Million Solar Roofs bill on the Senate floor focused on the retail price of solar power, a distributed generation technology owned by the end users, compared with conventional, wholesale central-station power plants. "Opponents to SB 1 are comparing apples to oranges," Del Chiaro said. "The cost of solar power should always be compared with retail electric rates - what we as consumers avoid having to pay when we own a solar system - not wholesale power available to utility companies and then marked up for a profit." The bill has advanced to the California Assembly. © 2005 American City Business Journals Inc. bizjournals.com