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CNN Live Today

Clint Eastwood and Others Fight to Save Money with Solar Energy

Aired April 30, 2001 - 13:47   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
NATALIE ALLEN: Well, one of the biggest stars in Hollywood is looking to the sun to ease California's energy crisis. And though he got a cold shoulder from the injury, state officials finally made his day. He knew we'd do that eventually.

Here's CNN's Rusty Dornin

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CLINT EASTWOOD, ACTOR: It's the cleanest energy possible and it sits here completely out of sight.

RUSTY DORNIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: His credits include nearly 100 films as an actor and director. But until recently, Clint Eastwood couldn't get credit for his current production -- premiering on the roof of his country club in Monterey, California, 242 photovoltaic cells -- star power turned to solar power.

EASTWOOD: If we produce energy, why shouldn't -- and we're not taking it off the main line, why shouldn't we get credit for it? It -- why shouldn't it reflect on bills? You've got to have the incentive.

DORNIN: Incentive power-hungry California finally agreed to give. Utilities now have to essentially credit businesses like Eastwood's golf course that give excess solar and wind power back to the power grid. Like the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, they decided to go solar to make a statement. Now, they'll get a payback.

JAY JAMES, INTERNATIONAL BROTHERHOOD OF ELECTRICAL WORKERS: We're going to be able to save about 70 percent of our energy bill. And then on the weekends, holidays, when we're not here, we would be able to sell it back or get credit to the -- from the utility company.

DORNIN: Utility companies fought the incentive program. Pacific Gas & Electric claims these businesses use the power grid to give and receive power. That costs money; money that other customers will have to pay.

JOHN NELSON, PACIFIC GAS & ELECTRIC: I don't know if this is $1 more a month or 50 cents more a month. But, this is -- you're essentially asking customers who can't afford to put a solar generation unit on their rooftop to pay for somebody who can.

DORNIN: The state will only offer the solar incentives for 18 months. Not long enough, say critics like Eastwood, any which way you look at it.

EASTWOOD: They should be offering incentives out there for people to get in and conserve as much as possible. I never understood how you expect the public to get behind something if you don't offer the incentive out there.

DORNIN: Dirty Harry goes clean and gets credit for it.

Rusty Dornin, CNN, Monterey, California.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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