Governor Schwarzenegger Applauds Facilities for Going Green

FROM THE OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR

October 28, 2008

Highlighting companies and facilities that are going green, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger today installed the last of 1,727 solar panels on the rooftop of the STAPLES Center in Los Angeles. The 345 kilowatt photovoltaic solar system covers 24,196 square feet of the arena's rooftop and is the latest green action taken by the STAPLES management team. Following this event, the Governor will tour the Contessa Manufacturing Plant, the first frozen food facility in the world to be certified as a green building under the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design rating system. The plant has waterless urinals that will save 200,000 gallons of water each year and solar panels the length of two football fields on its rooftop. As a result, the plant is on track to reduce its energy use and carbon dioxide emissions by 65 percent.

"I am thrilled to be celebrating the commitment of these companies to reducing their carbon footprints," Governor Schwarzenegger said. "They are examples that going green is not only good for the environment but also for business. Our landmark global warming law calls for 30 percent reductions in greenhouse gas emissions by 2020, and projects like these will help us get there while also helping us meet our long-term renewable energy goals."

The Governor has set a goal of increasing California's renewable energy sources to 20 percent by 2010, and he supports reaching 33 percent by 2020. California's push to increase renewable energy and fight climate change will also boost our economy. According to an economic study released last week by the University of California at Berkeley and Next 10, California's policies will create as many as 403,000 jobs in the next 12 years and household incomes will increase by $48 billion.

Also last week, the Governor announced that California has partnered with SunEdison to provide a zero-emission 8 megawatt (MW) solar photovoltaic system to power 15 California State University campuses. Further development is also under way by state departments, including the Department of General Services, Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation and Department of Mental Health, to generate approximately 7 MWs of solar power at five state prison sites and three state mental hospitals. Since 2006, 4.2 MWs of solar power have already been deployed at eight other state facilities through similar power purchase agreements.

To make solar power more accessible to California homeowners, the Governor signed his Million Solar Roofs Plan into law in August 2006. Now known as the California Solar Initiative, it will provide 3,000 MWs of additional clean energy and reduce the output of greenhouse gases by more than two million tons. The more than $3 billion incentive plan for homeowners and building owners who install solar electric systems will lead to one million solar roofs in California by the year 2017.