PG&E Honored By Solar Electric Power Association
by Trey Granger
Published on September 25th, 2007
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San Francisco, CA — Pacific Gas and Electric Company today received the Solar Portfolio Leadership award from the Solar Electric Power Association. This is the third time in as many years that PG&E has been awarded a Solar Business Achievement award from SEPA.
The first two years the award came in the category of public awareness and industry leadership. This is the first time SEPA has honored any company with the Solar Portfolio Leadership award.
“PG&E has been a recognized leader in the solar area for a number of years for various activities and programs, but this year is being recognized for its comprehensive solar portfolio,” said Julia Judd Hamm, SEPA Executive Director. “During the call for nominations there was no category listed for Solar Portfolio Leadership award. But when the executive committee was discussing the applications, they unanimously agreed that PG&E deserved an all-encompassing award for the company’s outstanding leadership in so many areas having to do with solar. PG&E serves as the ultimate role model for other utilities.”
PG&E has interconnected more than 18,000 customers with solar generating systems to the power grid — representing more than 153 megawatts and more than any other utility in the nation. PG&E has also provided nearly $200 million in rebates through the utility’s Self-Generation Incentive Program, which helps offset the cost of installing solar and other forms of clean, on-site generation such as wind and fuel cells.
PG&E is also aggressively pursuing renewable energy contracts and recently signed three contracts for utility scale solar. The first with Solel of Israel will cover nine square miles, deliver 553 MW of clean, renewable energy and currently represents the world’s single largest solar commitment. PG&E also signed contracts for an additional 7 MW from two new developers of utility scale photovoltaic technology.
Other current programs include the PG&E Solar Schools Program and the PG&E Solar Habitat Program in partnership with Habitat for Humanity International and local chapters.
With more than 140 environmental honors in total, the company has also recently been recognized by the Natural Resources Defense Council for its environmental leadership, and won the Pacific Forest Trust Award in Climate Protection and Forest Management Leadership, and two Governors Environmental and Economic Leadership Awards.
For more information about Pacific Gas and Electric Company’s solar initiatives, visit http://www.pge.com/solar.
