HARMAN STATEMENT ON SOLAR TECHNOLOGY ROADMAP ACT
Congressional Desk
October 26, 2009
Lawmaker says bill will "make clean, renewable energy more affordable and accessible for all Americans."
Washington, DC – Congresswoman Jane Harman (D-CA) issued the following statement in support of H.R. 3585, the Solar Technology Roadmap Act, which passed the House by a 310 to 106 vote.
"Advancing solar technology is vital to our nation´s energy security, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and establishing the United States as a leader in green technology. This bill will create a structured plan for pursuing solar research, development and demonstration, and will foster new public-private partnerships to make clean, renewable energy more affordable and accessible for all Americans.
Solar power can help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and mitigate the effects of climate change. My home state of California is ahead of the curve: 67 percent of the United States total solar generation is in California.
The Fortunato family in Hermosa Beach, a city I represent, is retrofitting their home to be the city´s first "net zero" home and to power all their electricity needs through renewables—mostly through the use of solar panels for electricity and solar hot water for heating.
In fact, throughout California´s 36th Congressional District, my constituents are turning to solar energy as they continue the region´s tradition of environmental leadership. Large installations at Harbor City College in Wilmington, BT telecommunications in El Segundo, and the Port of Los Angeles are setting the standard for solar excellence in the South Bay. At BT, flexible solar panels provide shade in the outdoor parking lot—something that could be widely copied. My family installed solar panels on our roof in Venice, California, over eight years ago.
I worked for President Jimmy Carter, who in 1979 mandated that by the year 2000, 20 percent of power generated in the United States should come from the sun. Three decades later, we´re still far from that visionary goal. Solar power accounts for just 1.2 percent of the U.S. mix. We can—and must—do far better."
Washington, DC – Congresswoman Jane Harman (D-CA) issued the following statement in support of H.R. 3585, the Solar Technology Roadmap Act, which passed the House by a 310 to 106 vote.
"Advancing solar technology is vital to our nation´s energy security, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and establishing the United States as a leader in green technology. This bill will create a structured plan for pursuing solar research, development and demonstration, and will foster new public-private partnerships to make clean, renewable energy more affordable and accessible for all Americans.
Solar power can help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and mitigate the effects of climate change. My home state of California is ahead of the curve: 67 percent of the United States total solar generation is in California.
The Fortunato family in Hermosa Beach, a city I represent, is retrofitting their home to be the city´s first "net zero" home and to power all their electricity needs through renewables—mostly through the use of solar panels for electricity and solar hot water for heating.
In fact, throughout California´s 36th Congressional District, my constituents are turning to solar energy as they continue the region´s tradition of environmental leadership. Large installations at Harbor City College in Wilmington, BT telecommunications in El Segundo, and the Port of Los Angeles are setting the standard for solar excellence in the South Bay. At BT, flexible solar panels provide shade in the outdoor parking lot—something that could be widely copied. My family installed solar panels on our roof in Venice, California, over eight years ago.
I worked for President Jimmy Carter, who in 1979 mandated that by the year 2000, 20 percent of power generated in the United States should come from the sun. Three decades later, we´re still far from that visionary goal. Solar power accounts for just 1.2 percent of the U.S. mix. We can—and must—do far better."
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