[S-C] Fwd: 10/28: Bringing Solar Into the Mainstream

[Kevin Shrieve]

=46rom: "David Hochschild" <david@votesolar.org>
Subject: A victory for solar energy...
Date: Fri, 17 Oct 2003 19:20:38 -0400 (EDT)

A VICTORY FOR SOLAR ENERGY

Last January, the Vote Solar Initiative and the Planning and=20
Conservation League met with Assemblyman Mark Leno last January to=20
urge him to reauthorize the state's $125 million annual subsidy, due=20
to expire next year. This week, Leno's bill to protect California's=20
solar subsidy (AB 1685) was signed into law, insuring that the=20
largest incentive program for solar energy in the nation will be=20
extended through 2008.

This is important for the future of solar energy because California's=20
pro-solar policies act as an incubator to America's burgeoning solar=20
industry. Many of the most essential technologies our society enjoys=20
today, from integrated circuits to the world wide web, reached=20
maturity only with early, sustained government support. Solar energy=20
is on the same course and California, because of its policies, is=20
responsible for much of the progress and more than 70% of the=20
nation's market for solar energy. We believe California's ongoing=20
support for solar energy today is an investment that will pay for=20
itself many times over.

Special thanks to Assemblyman Leno, Jan McFarland of the California=20
Solar Energy Industry Association, Eddy Moore, Kari Smith, Vince=20
Schwent, Ed Smeloff, Mike Turk, JP Ross, Howard Wenger, Janice Lin,=20
Nicole Capretz, and San Diego Mayor Dick Murphy and Councilwoman=20
Donna Frye and all the others who have contributed their expertise=20
and support to make this victory possible.


SOLAR INCENTIVES: BRINGING SOLAR INTO THE MAINSTREAM

To celebrate this success and to better understand what the future=20
holds for solar energy, we will be hosting a presentation by solar=20
expert Howard Wenger on the state of solar energy today and future=20
prospects for bringing solar energy into the mainstream. Assemblyman=20
Mark Leno, author of the solar bill, will also make a few remarks.

WHAT: 	Solar Incentives: Bringing Solar Into the Mainstream
		Presentation by solar industry expert Howard Wenger

WHEN: 	Tuesday October 28, 2003
		5:30 Reception
		6:00 =967:00 PM Presentation

WHERE:	Pacific Energy Center
	851 Howard Street, San Francisco

This event is free and open to the public but space is limited.=20
RSVP's are on a first-come, first-serve basis. To RSVP, please visit=20
register online at http://www.pge.com/pec/classes or by phone at=20
415-973-2277.

Co-sponsored by the Vote Solar Initiative, the Planning and=20
Conservation League and the Pacific Energy Center.


SOLAR CITIES SUMMIT HELPS CITIES GET SOME SUN

Last month, the Solar Cities Summit for Mayors was held in San=20
=46rancisco on September 18-19th.  More than 100 mayors, city=20
councilors and other staff attended the summit which featured a=20
keynote address from Dr. Amory Lovins and site visits to the 675 kw=20
solar rooftop on the Moscone Convention Center and the Lawrence=20
Berkeley National Laboratories. At the summit, mayors learned about=20
the most successful approaches for implementing large-scale solar=20
energy programs. Several of the cities that attended the summit, from=20
Honolulu, Hawaii to Montclair, New Jersey are now pursuing=20
large-scale solar projects. We'll keep you informed as we go forward.
Many thanks to our co-sponsors of the Summit: the Million Solar Roofs=20
Program and the City of San Francisco.

onwards,

David Hochschild, Adam Browning, Charlene Garland

The Vote Solar Initiative

--=20
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