Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) today saluted Bakersfield for becoming one of California’s top solar cities. PG&E also recognized its customer, First Congregational Church, UCC, whose solar installation was instrumental in Bakersfield’s ranking. The finding, recently announced in an Environment California report, rated Bakersfield 6th in the state in solar generation with 16 megawatts (MW).

First Congregational Church, UCC, one of 1,943 PG&E customers that installed solar in Bakersfield, contributes to Bakersfield’s solar generation by supplying 44 kilowatts of clean, solar power to its facilities. First Congregational Church, UCC will receive $50,000 in rebate incentives from PG&E through the California Solar Initiative (CSI) program.

“With our new solar installation, we are realizing real energy savings through a clean and reliable source of energy,” said Pastor David Stabenfeldt, First Congregational Church, UCC. “This would not have been possible without rebate incentives provided by PG&E and the California Solar Initiative. We are proud to help Bakersfield become one of California’s top 10 solar cities.”

By interconnecting solar customers, PG&E is able to provide cleaner energy to the state and help lower the cost of solar energy systems. To help further drive this effort, PG&E provides rebate incentives through the CSI program that will help bring the benefit of carbon-free power to residential and business customers.

“PG&E and its customers continue to drive solar adoption in California, helping the state deliver on its long-term renewable energy and climate change goals,” said Mignon Marks, Executive Director of California Solar Energy Industries Association (CALSEIA). “We are excited to continue our work with PG&E and its customers to accomplish even more for California’s solar market.”

With the interconnection of more than 60,000 solar customers, PG&E continues its nationwide leadership in bringing customer-owned solar power to California. PG&E has provided more than $790 million in solar incentives to its customers through California’s Self-Generation Incentive Program (SGIP) and the CSI program. These solar installations collectively generate approximately 600 MW of electricity. In fact, PG&E solar customers represent about 30 percent of such solar systems interconnected in the United States.

“I would like to congratulate First Congregational Church, UCC on helping to make Bakersfield one of California’s top 10 solar cities,” said Terry Scott, ES&S Manager of PG&E. “By making the decision to ‘Go Solar,’ PG&E customers are helping solar generation become more cost-effective and reliable than ever before.”

Joining Bakersfield in Environment California’s top 10 solar cities are San Diego, Los Angeles, San Jose, Fresno, San Francisco, Sacramento, Santa Rosa, Oakland and Chico.