By connecting the 150,000th solar customer to the electric grid, Pacific Gas & Electric Company (PG&E) has added approximately 326 MW of installed solar power in the U.S. In addition to usual rooftops, a winery and a marine mammal rehabilitation hospital are also its customers.
During 2014, PG&E connected more rooftop solar customers to its grid than any other year in its history. More than 45,000 new solar customers were added in 2014 alone. On average, the company is connecting about 4,000 new solar customers per month across Northern and Central California, more than any other energy company in the nation. Approximately every 11 minutes, PG&E connects a new solar customer to its electric grid.
“Every month, thousands of PG&E customers are choosing to go solar to help them save on their bill and to reduce their carbon footprint. Solar power is critical to California’s clean energy future and we are 100 percent committed to getting even more customers connected with solar in 2015,” said PG&E’s Senior Vice President and Chief Customer Officer, Laurie Giammona.
The Marine Mammal Center, the world’s largest marine mammal rehabilitation hospital, uses solar energy to help power its operations and saves enough on their energy costs to feed roughly 200 sea lions per month. Another famous client is CK Mondavi Family Vineyards, one of the largest wineries in the world. It reduced its carbon footprint and now harvests the abundance of Napa sunshine to help power its winemaking production.