Schwarzenegger Closes America's Largest Ever Solar Event

The powerful message from Schwarzenegger topped off a highly successful week for over 9,000 attendees at the Solar Power 2006 conference and expo. Over 1,000 people were packed into the conference hall for the Governor's speech.

He touted solar power's role in delivering on his promises to protect the environment and grow the economy. The Governor, whose stellar support for solar power will yield $3.2 billion in incentives over the next ten years, was greeted with cheers many times throughout his speech.

California has seen many positive developments for the solar industry since the Governor took office in 2003. The Million Solar Roofs Bill, the California Solar Initiative and the Global Warming Solutions Act will all make solar a major growth engine for the state's economy.

Talking about SB1 and other energy programs that have helped the solar market grow in the state, Schwarzenegger said, "It is proof that we can do both. We can be both pro environment and pro business."

He also announced the launch of the Go Solar California web site, which will be a centralized source of information on the state's solar programs.

Schwarzenegger's attendance accentuated the feeling of success that was felt by all at Solar Power 2006. Organizers of the event have every reason to feel confident that they can build on this momentum to stimulate further growth for next year's conference in Long Beach, California.