Partnering to Accelerate Innovation

PG&E leads the nation with the largest number of customer-owned and connected solar power systems. In 2006, PG&E interconnected more than 4,300 of these systems to the electric grid, bringing the total to nearly 15,000—another way we partner with our customers to keep California a world leader in clean, renewable energy.

PG&E also welcomed the adoption of the California Solar Initiative by the CPUC, an ambitious program designed to boost the amount of customer-installed solar capacity in California. The goal of the statewide program is to install 3,000 megawatts by 2017. PG&E began administering the program in 2007.

The California Solar Initiative greatly expands upon another existing program— PG&E's Self-Generation Incentive Program—which offers financial incentives to help customers offset much of the cost to install clean and/or renewable distributed generation projects; this includes solar, wind, fuel cell, or cogeneration systems 30 kW or larger. Through this program, in 2006, nearly 130 customers received incentives of more than $69 million for clean and renewable technology projects totaling more than 37 MW.

Demonstrating a commitment to the community, Tony's Fine Foods in West Sacramento sought an innovative technology to hedge future energy bills, maintain the quality of its perishable food, and provide a clean energy source. Working closely with PG&E, the deli and bakery product specialist exceeded this goal by installing a 1 MW photovoltaic system and applying more than $3.5 million in PG&E rebates to create the largest, privately owned solar power system in northern California. Over its 30-year projected lifetime, the system will generate enough solar electricity to meet more than half the company's electric needs while avoiding the release of 10,000 tons of CO₂ emissions to the atmosphere.

Partnering for a Greener San Francisco

In addition, PG&E was a major sponsor of the California Clean Tech Open, a business-plan competition designed to accelerate the creation of clean technology companies in California. PG&E pledged to provide $15,000 toward the Energy Efficiency prize, energy system testing services from its world-class Technical and Ecological Services laboratory, as well as 4,000 square feet of office space for the energy efficiency and renewable prize winners.

And finally, through PG&E's first-of-its-kind Agricultural Internal Combustion Engine Conversion Incentive Program (AG-ICE), we continued to help improve air quality, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and enhance the quality of life for a growing number of communities in the San Joaquin and Sacramento valleys. During 2006, interest in the program—which encourages agricultural customers to convert from diesel-powered irrigation pumps to electric pumps—continued to grow. In total, PG&E received more than 1,400 AG-ICE applications, which, over the useful life of the systems, has the potential to reduce more than 750,000 tons of CO₂ emissions. PG&E's innovative AG-ICE program won California's prestigious Governor's Environmental and Economic Leadership Award in 2006.