PRESS RELEASE
Office of Assemblymember Paul Krekorian
Adrin Nazarian Chief of Staff
620 N. Brand Blvd. Suite 403
Glendale, CA 91203
(818) 240-6330
(818) 240-4632 fax
[email protected]
Contact: Adrin Nazarian
September 11, 2007
(916) 319-2043
SOLAR POWER HARNESSED ON CAPITOL LAWN: Assemblymember Paul Krekorian
joins fellow legislators, businesses, environmental and educational
groups to demonstrate the viability and value of a mainstream solar hot
water market in California
SACRAMENTO – As temperatures approached 100 degrees, Assemblymember
Paul Krekorian (D-Burbank), spoke on the steps of the Capitol last week
about the need to enact the Solar Hot Water and Efficiency Act of 2007
(AB 1470), which will help free California from its dependence on fossil
fuels, reduce air pollution and global warming, and lead to lower energy
bills for consumers. AB 1470 passed the Senate Appropriations Committee
yesterday and will soon be voted on by the full Senate.
Assemblymember Krekorian, coauthor of this important solar energy bill,
said that a statewide incentive program is a vital step in encouraging
renewable energy development in California. "Investing in solar energy
is not only positive for the environment, it is also essential to the
economic future of this state," said Krekorian. "In an era of rapidly
increasing oil prices, a robust solar energy program will save consumers
money and create thousands of good jobs in California, all while giving
us a healthier and more sustainable environment for the future."
When he served on the Burbank Board of Education, Krekorian was a
leading advocate for changes in the district’s use of energy. Reforms
that Krekorian spearheaded led to significantly increased energy
efficiency in the district, including the installation of solar heating
systems in the district’s high school swimming pools. These reforms
allowed the district to save millions of dollars in energy expenses,
allowing more of the taxpayers’ dollars to be focused on the classroom.
"Modern solar water heating systems allow homes and businesses to slice
their natural gas consumption by half," he said. "This helps consumers
reduce their energy consumption, lower greenhouse emissions from
traditional natural-gas water heating systems, and save on their energy
bills. AB 1470 is a vitally important step in ensuring that we achieve
those goals."
Krekorian also spoke about the economic stimulus that would be created
by the developing solar energy industry in California. Many of the
leading solar energy businesses in the state were present for the press
conference to demonstrate their cutting-edge products. "Throughout the
world, people are suffering from skyrocketing oil prices and the
environmental destruction caused by fossil fuels," Krekorian said.
"There is a worldwide demand for renewable energy sources, and I believe
California has every advantage in being the worldwide leader in this
developing industry. We should strive to make California the Saudi
Arabia of solar energy, and AB 1470 is another important step in that
direction."
"AB 1470 is a historic bill for California," said Sue Kately, Executive
Director of the California Solar Energy Industry Association. "The solar
water industry is growing by leaps and bounds worldwide. With this bill,
California can step back into the lead bringing the state cleaner air,
greater energy independence and more jobs.
Assemblymember Jared Huffman, Chair of the Assembly’s Environmental
Safety & Toxic Materials Committee, is the author of AB 1470. "Solar
power represents a significant energy resource for California," said
Assemblymember Huffman. "California can continue to seek greater energy
independence, fight global warming, and save homeowners and businesses
money by encouraging a mainstream market for solar water heating."
In addition to Huffman and Krekorian, other co-authors of AB 1470
include Assemblymembers Mark Leno, Mark DeSaulnier, Amina Carter and
Lloyd Levine and Lori Saldana, all of whom were present at the event.
AB 1470 is a companion bill to the Million Solar Roofs bill (SB 1
-Murray) signed into law last year. AB 1470 would create rebates for
solar water heaters through a small surcharge on gas bills.
During the press conference on AB 1470, numerous displays were set up on
the North Capitol Lawn to demonstrate how solar water heaters work and
the benefits of a mainstream solar power market. Educational booths
included those by Solarhart, Heliodyne, Sierra Pacific Solar,
SunTechnics, FAFCO, CALSEIA, Davis Energy Group, California Sustainable
Energy Center, Rahus Institute, Trendsetter Industries and The Solar
Depot. CALSEIA provided free ice-cream cones, which were kept cool with
solar electric power by an Akeena Solar mobile photovoltaic truck. Also
present at the event was Environment California, the Clean Power
Campaign, and the Planning and Conservation League.
Assemblymember Paul Krekorian (D-Burbank) represents the cities of
Burbank and Glendale, and the Los Angeles communities of Atwater
Village, Los Feliz, North Hollywood, Silver Lake, Toluca Lake, Valley
Glen, Valley Village and Van Nuys.
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