Photographing Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger

SEPA (Solar Electric Power Association) hired me to cover a four-day convention at the San Jose Hilton, and I had a wonderful opportunity to meet and photograph Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger on the last day. The governor is a major supporter of solar energy in California, and he gave a speech that won applauds from thousands of attendees.

Followed by Germany and Japan, the U.S. is currently the third largest country in solar energy usage. During the convention, I learned that solar panels now come in a variety of colors. The technology has improved so much that some panel design was as thin as film, and some were transparent like glass for light to travel through.

Currently, it takes approximately five years for the investment in solar panel to break even. After that, one can start saving money on energy and even sell energy back to the electric company when the electric meter runs backward.