Honoring Solar Champion Governor Brown

We were proud to honor California’s Governor Jerry Brown as one of our Solar Champions at this year’s Equinox celebration and fundraiser. We give these annual awards to recognize outstanding efforts to make solar power a mainstream American energy resource, and the Governor has certainly exemplified that kind of leadership.

Since returning to office in 2010, Governor Brown has championed policy that has kept California at the forefront of our nation’s growing solar market. In 2011, he signed SB 2, codifying the nation’s strongest renewable portfolio standard, a 33% by 2020 renewables goal. Last year the Governor signed a number of bills that will further expand and strengthen solar in the state, including: AB 327 to advance net metering policy and rate reform, SB 43 to establish new shared renewable energy programs, and AB 217 to expand the state’s low-income solar program. Governor Brown also recently established a Reserve Fund to allow promising residential Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) financing programs for energy and water efficiency upgrades to move forward in the state.

Thanks to this kind of policy leadership from the Governor and other officials, the Golden State has enough solar installed to power 1.26 million homes, sets new solar production records almost daily, and supports more than 47,000 local solar jobs statewide. California has prioritized developing solar and clean energy resources to in order to meet the joint goals of delivering reliable, affordable and sustainable electricity. That last factor is very much driven by recognition at the state and citizen level of the need for real climate action.

“We have to do everything possible in California on solar, on renewable energy, on reducing our carbon footprint,” said Governor Brown at the award ceremony. “We’re still in the fight. It’s only round 1 of a 15 round battle to get our climate excesses under control.”

The Governor was honored alongside former Commissioner Mark Ferron and Vermont’s major utility Green Mountain Power.