Solar energy: official state energy.

Assembly Member Wallis seeks to designate solar energy as California's official state energy, placing it alongside established state symbols like the golden poppy and California redwood through new additions to the Government Code. The designation would formally recognize California's pioneering role in solar energy development, which began with solar hot water technologies in the 1920s and evolved through innovations like the Million Solar Roofs Initiative in 2006.

The bill's findings document California's current solar energy landscape, noting over 2.1 million solar installations statewide with approximately 50 gigawatts of capacity. In 2024, solar energy provided more than 31 percent of California's electricity generation, with the state's combined rooftop and utility-scale solar capacity exceeding that of 42 other states combined. The findings also highlight notable installations like the Desert Sunlight Solar Farm in Riverside County and the Solar Star facility in Kern County.

While the designation carries no direct regulatory or fiscal implications, it codifies solar energy's role in California's development. The bill requires a simple majority vote for passage and includes no appropriations or program requirements. This addition to the Government Code would mark solar energy as the latest entry in California's collection of official state symbols, which represent various aspects of the state's natural and cultural heritage.