Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) launched a program called Solar Choice, which extends the option for 100 percent solar power to customers who are not planning to install rooftop solar panels. Customers can purchase half or all of their electric power from solar energy locally sourced in Northern and Central California, reducing their carbon footprint and driving the development of new solar resources within the state.
Approximately half of U.S. households and businesses are unable to install rooftop solar due to space, lack of sun exposure or ownership limitations. For a fee, PG&E’s Solar Choice program extends solar access and benefits to residential and business customers regardless of their location or ability to physically install rooftop solar. As the program develops, the solar energy purchased by customers will be sourced from new solar projects built by developers across PG&E’s service area, bringing new green jobs to Northern and Central California.
“PG&E’s Solar Choice program is all about giving customers more choice and control over their energy, and bringing the benefits of solar to our communities. Our customers already enjoy some of the cleanest power in the country. Now, they can directly contribute to bringing more renewable energy onto the electric grid – a win for our customers and for California,” said PG&E Senior Vice President and Chief Customer Officer Laurie Giammona.
Although this doesn’t necessarily get more solar installed on its own, the more customers that choose the option prove the public demand for more solar is strong.
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Additionally, participating organizations could qualify for LEED points for green building leadership as well as the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Green Power Partnership for electricity generated from renewable resources.
Kelly Slater Wave Company is one of the first California businesses to partner with PG&E’s Solar Choice to go 100 percent solar, purchasing renewable energy with zero greenhouse gas emissions and lowering their carbon footprint. The company is powering their new wave technology and high-performance training center in California’s Central Valley.
“We are committed to encouraging sustainable development at any site using our technology. As part of this commitment, we are pleased that our first site in Central California is 100 percent powered by solar energy through PG&E’s Solar Choice. This program allows Kelly Slater Wave Company to not only be a pioneer in wave technology, but also in supporting sustainable power initiatives as we act environmentally through an alternative to installing solar panels and fulfill our vision of building the best man-made wave,” said Noah Grimmett, General Manager of Kelly Slater Wave Company.
PG&E recently announced that all of its operations service centers – nearly 100 facilities in Northern and Central California – will be 100 percent powered by solar energy through PG&E’s Solar Choice program.
PG&E’s Solar Choice is part of the company’s ongoing commitment to support the growth of solar and enable customers to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from their electricity usage. To date, more than 55 percent of the energy PG&E delivers to customers comes from sources that emit no greenhouse gases. PG&E has already connected more than 215,000 solar customers to the grid and anticipates that PG&E’s Solar Choice program will extend access to solar to approximately 40,000 additional homes and businesses across the company’s service area.
Visit www.pge.com/solarchoice to learn more about the new program.
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