New Energy Program Holds Promise for San Joaquin Valley

It's hot in the San Joaquin Valley. ResidentialThe formation of the new group comes when
power bills are among the highest in the state, butCalifornia's landmark climate bill, AB32, is under
the region is rich with renewable energyassault. Proposed legislation, Proposition 23, would
resources such as sun and ag waste. It also hassuspend AB 32 and goes before the voters in
chronically high unemployment, which provides aNovember.
ready labor pool.The Apollo Alliance has an ambitious agenda. Here
It is a perfect place for testing clean-energyis just a bit of it:
technology and energy-efficiency programs. That- Generate 33% of California's power from
is why a new alliance of California businesses,renewable resources by 2020;
labor, community and environmental leaders- Retrofit existing buildings and ensure new
sounds promising.construction is green;
It's called California Apollo Program, and the goal is- Support public/private R&D partnerships;
to create a comprehensive strategy for creating- Help manufacturers retool factories and retrain
clean-energy jobs in a state famous foremployees to produce clean-energy products;
innovation and technological advancement.- Promote "Buy California: and "Buy America"
"The Apollo Alliance will work with our diversepolicies'
coalition of business, labor, community and- Recycle and reuse in California.
environmental leaders to ensure our state seizesA partial list of endorsers include SunPower
the opportunity to invest in California businessesCorporation, Natural Resources Defense Council,
and create new jobs producing the cleanState Building & Construction Trades Council of
technologies of the future," said Phil Angelides,California and California Energy Efficiency Industry
chairman of the national Apollo Alliance, a broaderCouncil.
group with similar goals.