The centerpiece of the state’s strategy to meet ambitious clean energy goals is increased use of solar energy. Assemblyman Eduardo Garcia’s commentary does not mention the word “solar” even once.
Let us be specific about what we need during the COVID-19 pandemic. We need cooperation, removal of red tape and the provision of financial incentives from the utilities and government.
Solar power with batteries lowers utility expenses at a time when financially worried people are using more energy at home due to the lockdown and where summer requires more air conditioning use and causes outages with health impacts.
Solar and battery rebates and investment tax credits are significant cost savers and should be maintained and enhanced. Solar is an energy system that is cheaper, more reliable, safer, better for the environment and society, creates jobs, injects money into local communities, and uplifts the state economy.
Our clean energy hopes rest squarely on expanded use of solar energy. We cannot allow COVID-19 to kill the industry.
Our policymakers and all the rest of us need to quickly and decisively mobilize to keep the solar power and storage sector in California alive.
Solar and storage should be state’s clean energy focus
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In summary
California’s clean energy hopes rest squarely on expanded use of solar energy and battery storage.
By Calvin Naito, Los Angeles
Re “Investing in clean energy will help economic recovery“; Commentary, Aug. 23, 2020
The centerpiece of the state’s strategy to meet ambitious clean energy goals is increased use of solar energy. Assemblyman Eduardo Garcia’s commentary does not mention the word “solar” even once.
Let us be specific about what we need during the COVID-19 pandemic. We need cooperation, removal of red tape and the provision of financial incentives from the utilities and government.
Solar power with batteries lowers utility expenses at a time when financially worried people are using more energy at home due to the lockdown and where summer requires more air conditioning use and causes outages with health impacts.
Solar and battery rebates and investment tax credits are significant cost savers and should be maintained and enhanced. Solar is an energy system that is cheaper, more reliable, safer, better for the environment and society, creates jobs, injects money into local communities, and uplifts the state economy.
Our clean energy hopes rest squarely on expanded use of solar energy. We cannot allow COVID-19 to kill the industry.
Our policymakers and all the rest of us need to quickly and decisively mobilize to keep the solar power and storage sector in California alive.
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