Contact: Rosalind Jackson, rosalind@votesolar.org, 415-817-5061

Vote Solar Commends PG&E Solar Energy Plan

Proposed 500 MW Utility PV Program Supports Strong Local Market, California Jobs

San Francisco – February 24, 2009 – Today Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E), Northern California’s largest utility, announced plans for an ambitious and substantial new solar energy program: 250 megawatts (MW) of utility-owned, distributed generation solar, and a further 250 MW to be built by private solar developers, under fixed-price contracts at the utility’s cost of service.

Adam Browning, executive director of Vote Solar, a grassroots organization focused on bringing solar energy to the mainstream, issued the following statement in support of the program:

“We estimate that this initiative will put between 7,500 and 15,000 Californians to work building our renewable energy future. Perhaps most exciting, PG&E has designed a diverse program that maximizes the benefits of utility involvement while minimizing the potential drawbacks.

Utility involvement in solar brings great opportunity in the form of new economies of scale, but can also raise concerns about the potential of monopoly power crowding out private solar developers and stifling competition. The future of solar is dependent on nurturing a competitive workforce throughout the value chain, and healthy competition to foster a robust market and bring costs down for consumers. We believe that utility involvement in the distributed generation solar industry should be conditioned on opening access for private solar companies to provide the same value to ratepayers. On first look, PG&E’s application appears to meet this standard.

PG&E’s solar program follows on the heels of similar announcements from Southern California Edison, San Diego Gas & Electric, and Los Angeles Department of Water and Power. SCE and LADWP’s programs have contained efforts to limit markets and exclude participation, and as a result have been met with robust challenges.

We congratulate PG&E on its balanced approach and demonstrated commitment to developing a strong solar market in their service territory. We expect that their efforts will garner the program support and approval.”