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By Marla Dickerson
6:47 PM PST, January 28, 2009
Despite a credit freeze that's stunting renewable-energy projects throughout the country, 2008 was a hot year for solar power in California.
Encouraged by state rebates, Golden State residents and businesses last year installed a record 158 megawatts of photovoltaic panels on their rooftops to turn the sun's rays into electricity, the California Public Utilities Commission said Wednesday. That's more than double the 78 megawatts installed in 2007.
Residential demand appears to be hanging tough in the face of the shaky economy. December saw the largest volume of homeowner rebate requests since the state launched the California Solar Initiative program two years ago.
"I'm encouraged to see that even in these difficult financial times we are breaking solar installation records and spurring private investment in solar projects," Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger said in a statement. Launched in January 2007, the California Solar Initiative is an attempt to push photovoltaics on a mass scale in California to help cut greenhouse gas emissions and shore up the state's energy supply.
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