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The electricity-generating sector is a significant contributor of GHG emissions in California; in-state power plants contribute about 16 percent to the state carbon dioxide emissions. Together with out-of-state power plants serving the state, power plants account for approximately 30 percent of California's CO2 emissions.

In the coming years, this problem could worsen. Between 2004 and 2014, California's energy demands will increase 20 percent, in part because one million new homes will be built. The California Energy Commission (CEC) estimates that California will require 500-1,000 MW of new energy capacity each year to meet these needs. For comparison, a typical power plant ranges in size from 50-300 MW. Eager to meet this need, energy companies have approved plans to build 30 fossil-fuel power plants in the next few years. Building these plants would dump millions of tons of additional pollution into our air.

Southern California Edison recently sent out their 2005 power content label and it outlines their projected energy resource mix for 2005.

Coal & Natural Gas 58%
Nuclear 20%
Large Hydroelectric 3%
Renewables 19% (including 1% solar and 4% wind energy)
Wind Energy

According to the Electric Power Research Institute, the cost of producing wind energy has decreased nearly four fold since 1980. With current wind research and development efforts, the CEC estimates that newer technologies can reduce the cost of wind energy to 3.5 cents per kilowatt/hour.

Wind energy also creates jobs. The America Wind Energy Association estimated that through the early 1990s, 1,200 direct jobs in California's wind industry, with as many as 4,000 indirect jobs, were created. Total private investment in wind energy in California amounted to $3.2 billion through 1991.

Solar Energy & Senate Bill 1 (California)

More than 150,000 homes are built each year in California straining the state's growing energy and air pollution problems. Plus, with these growing communities come the malls, big-box stores, and other commercial developments. Each home and building constructed without solar power is a tremendous missed opportunity for California to tap into its year-round sunshine.

The Million Solar Roofs Bill, SB 1, co-authored by State Senators Kevin Murray (D-Los Angeles) and John Campbell (R-Orange County), passed its first policy committee, Senate Energy, Utilities, and Commerce, April 26th by a vote of ten to zero. SB 1 combines the incentives and standards needed to achieve Governor Schwarzenegger's goal of building half of all new homes with solar power and a million solar roofs by 2017.

Building with solar power makes a lot of sense. To begin with, it saves money. It is a lot cheaper—some estimate 25-33 percent cheaper—to install a solar system before rather than after a building or home has been wired and constructed. In addition, some solar systems actually look and act just like roofing material, saving money there as well.

Secondly, building with solar allows the architect to design the building appropriately. By taking such simple steps as orienting the home or building in the right direction and landscaping to shade the home but not the solar system, designers, if they know ahead of time, can help maximize the solar PV system's energy output.

Instead of building more fossil fuel power plants to meet growing energy needs, California could build with solar power-just like we do with double-paned windows and insulation. Installing solar during construction dramatically reduces the cost of the systems. Creating a large market for solar will drive costs down even further. Owners would save money on their monthly electric bills, hundreds of pounds of air pollution would be cut, and California's energy grid would become more stable.

To get us to 50 percent of all new homes, as supported by Governor Schwarzenegger, Environment California is getting behind policies that combine incentives for homeowners and builders to invest in solar power with new standards for the building industry to begin incorporating solar power into new construction.

Specifically, SB 1 would:
- Require all builders of large single-family home developments offer solar power as an option for homebuyers. This would give homebuyers the opportunity to save money by incorporating the solar system during construction;
- Provide homeowners and businesses a new, stable and secure rebate fund of $100 million per year to reduce the upfront cost of solar power systems over the next ten years;
- Mandates that solar rebates decline by 7% each year to help ensure a mature, self-sufficient solar market by 2015;
- Mandate that utilities buy back excess electricity generated by solar systems up to 5% of peak demand, helping make the investment cost-effective for homeowners and businesses;
- Encourage greater energy efficiency in new homes and provide additional support for incorporating solar into affordable housing.

Advantages of renewable power include:
- Renewable energy creates jobs
- It forestalls or replaces the need to build potentially more polluting conventional power plants.
- It produces virtually no pollution of air, water or soil.
- It is renewable (non-depletable). There is enough potential wind and solar energy in the U.S. to power the entire country.
- Because of its modular nature, it is easy to add capacity as needed.
- Installing wind turbines and solar panels is relatively quick.
- While the power is currently more expensive than that produced by natural gas-fired plants, the price of renewable power is not affected by fuel price increases or supply disruptions.