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SAN FRANCISCO – A new survey by the Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA) ranks Pacific Gas and Electric Co. (PG&E) as the nation’s top electric utility in the amount of solar power added to its system in 2011.
PG&E is first in the annual Solar Megawatts category of the more than 240 utilities that participated in SEPA’s 2011 Utility Solar Rankings survey.
“PG&E is pleased to support our customers’ choice to go solar so they can realize the benefits of solar energy for their homes and businesses,” said Helen Burt, senior vice president of customer care for PG&E. “We remain committed to providing our customers with clean, reliable, and affordable energy, including an increasing amount of power from large utility-driven solar projects.”
PG&E delivers some of the nation’s cleanest electric power to its customers, thanks in part to solar energy.
On average, more than half the electricity the utility delivers comes from sources that are renewable and/or carbon free.
PG&E helped more than 12,000 customers in Northern and Central California connect 162 megawatts (MW) of solar at their homes and business in 2011, bringing the total number of customer solar installations to more than 63,000.
It also connected 135 MW of new large solar projects for the benefit of all customers. This includes PG&E’s own expanding solar facilities, which when completed will deliver 250 MW of clean energy – enough to power about 150,000 average customer homes.
“We congratulate PG&E for being a solar power leader in the electric utility sector,” said Julia Hamm, president and CEO of SEPA. “PG&E successfully adapted its business models and operations to allow for a significant amount of solar energy to be integrated into the grid last year, delivering the many benefits of clean solar energy to its customers. The impressive gains solar energy made in the U.S. in 2011 can be largely attributed to PG&E’s leadership.”
Overall, utilities interconnected more than 62,000 photovoltaic (PV) systems of all sizes last year, according to SEPA’s 2011 Utility Solar Rankings survey.
These new systems resulted in almost 1,500 megawatts of new utility solar capacity, more than twice as much as was added in 2010. Both the number of systems and the amount of new capacity make solar electricity the fastest growing electric source in the U.S. In 2011.
“In addition to the photovoltaic systems added by customers and third-party producers, much of the growth has come from the direct actions of utilities,” said Hamm.
The findings show that 39 percent of new solar capacity came from utilities owning or contracting for solar power.
Large solar projects, greater than 10 megawatts each, represent the bulk of this capacity.
The full report on the total solar capacity of U.S. utilities, rankings by regions and other utility solar trends will be available in late May at www.SEPATop10.org .
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KELSEYVILLE, Calif. – Similar to wine, California now ranks among the best in the world when it comes to premium olive oils.
Competing against more then 480 domestic and international extra virgin olive oils at the world renowned Los Angeles International Extra Virgin Olive Oil Competition, Chacewater Olive Mill won Best of Show in the “domestic, robust” category for its 2012 Tuscan Blend, which also won Best of Class among the Tuscans.
In addition to Chacewater’s gold medal for its Tuscan, Chacewater’s Allegra and Favolosa Extra Virgin Olive Oils received silver medals also in the “robust” category which compares early season oils.
Starting its 13th year, the Los Angeles International Extra Virgin Olive Oil Competition is one of the premier olive oil competitions in the world, bringing together the highest standards of integrity and professionalism in awarding medals to the best extra virgin olive oils from around the globe.
Like many great olive oil producers, Chacewater Olive Mill grows its own trees, hand-picks the fruit, and processes and bottles the oil at its own on-site mill.
Mill Master Emilio De La Cruz has been tending the 10-acre orchard and mill at this location for more than 10 years.
De La Cruz and Chacewater owner Paul Manuel look forward to producing and bottling high quality extra virgin olive oil for years to come.
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LAKEPORT, Calif. – Protect yourself from identity theft by safely and securely destroying documents in the “Shred-It” truck sponsored by Umpqua Bank and Strong Financial Network.
Invite friends and family to take advantage of this free shredding service.
You may bring up to three boxes/bags of documents for destruction.
The service will be provided from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Thursday, May 3, at Umpqua Bank, 805 11th St., Lakeport.
Please be sure documents are free of binders, although staples and paper clips are acceptable.
Workers will assist in unloading your delivery and you are welcome to watch the actual shredding of your documents.
If you are unable to participate on May 3, Umpqua Bank at the Lakeport and 4280 Main St., Kelseyville locations will have shred bins available in the month of May until they are filled.
Please limit your deposit to three boxes/bags per drop off.
Identity theft can lead to damage to your credit record and financial ruin. Don’t fall prey to criminals, shred unnecessary documents and protect your personal information.
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MIDDLETOWN, Calif. – Lake County Websites & Computer Repair offers monthly computer workshops for novices every fourth Saturday.
This month’s workshop is entitled “Backing up and Organizing your Documents and Pictures.”
The workshop will take place on Saturday, April 28, from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. at 15642 Armstrong St. in Middletown in the Jazzercise Center (two blocks behind the post office).
The workshop features hands-on learning using Microsoft Windows and will focus on how to back up important pictures and files, create new folders and manage your data.
You will learn easy ways to keep your information organized and safe.
The presenter, Mark Rudiger, is the owner of Lake County Websites & Computer Repair and has more than 18 years of experience installing, trouble-shooting, and working with computers.
If you have a laptop, bring it along and connect to the high-speed Internet. If you don’t, you will still get all the same information as Rudiger’s laptop screen will be projected on a 120-inch screen so you can follow along.
To keep informed and receive information on future workshops, go to www.facebook.com/LCSMGroup and “Like” the page.
To register for this workshop, email
No registrations will be accepted the day of the workshop. Admission is $10 per person. Space is limited.