California Public Utilities Commission
505 Van Ness Ave., San Francisco

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE MEDIA ADVISORY

Media Contact: Terrie Prosper, 415.703.1366, news@cpuc.ca.gov

CPUC HOSTS THOUGHT LEADERS SESSION ON SOLAR LEADERSHIP FROM GERMANY AND CALIFORNIA

SAN FRANCISCO, June 23, 2011 -- The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) today announced that the next topic in its ongoing Thought Leaders Speaker Series is Lessons Learned: Solar Leadership from Germany and California.

WHEN: July 11, 2011, 10:30 a.m. - noon

WHERE: CPUC Auditorium, 505 Van Ness Avenue, San Francisco; also available in real time and archived via video webcast at: www.californiaadmin.com/cpuc.shtml

WHO: An expert panel of solar industry executives will discuss the challenges and opportunities for solar development in Germany and California in the context of the broader energy policy issues. The panelists are Dr. Martin Heming, CEO, Schott Solar; Fred Jung, CEO and Co-Founder, juwi; Dr. Volker Nadenau, CTO, Bosch Solar Energy; Dr. Marc van Gerven, CEO, Q-Cells North America

To register for this event (not required, but appreciated) and for more information on Thought Leaders, including archived video webcasts of prior speakers, please visit www.cpuc.ca.gov/thoughtleaders.

Germany has been very successful at encouraging solar power, particularly with Feed-in Tariffs, but not without stimulating much international analysis on the advantages and disadvantages of their policies. More recently, Germany's plan to phase-out all its nuclear power plants by 2022 is raising questions about how Germany will obtain adequate energy without nuclear (about 23 percent of total electricity supply currently), while achieving their goal of reducing carbon emissions by 40 percent from 1990 levels in 2020.

The CPUC hosts the Thought Leaders Speaker Series to stimulate thought and discussion of some of the most pressing challenges facing California utility regulators and the private sector industries impacted by state policies. Leading experts from around the world take center stage to offer their expertise and vision in areas such as communications, energy, water, transportation, the environment, green jobs, and more. Although a quorum of Commissioners may be in attendance, no CPUC action will be taken at this event.

For more information on the CPUC, please visit www.cpuc.ca.gov.

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