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Since Sunrun introduced solar as a service in 2007, it has become the preferred way for consumers to go solar in the nation's top solar markets. Sunrun has deployed more than $2 billion in solar systems and has raised more than $300 million in equity capital.

Before solar, before Sunrun, if consumers wanted electricity, there was a monopoly of someone who told you how much it costs.

Likewise, with solar, especially here in California, we're discovering that the 80 solar farm schemes that are going forward want to basically bulldoze 1,000 sq. mi. of southern California desert. Well, as an environmentalist, we would rather that didn't happen.

Homeowners want solar power. It's cost-effective. We invented a business model that makes it really easy for consumers to switch to solar - and that's solar-as-a-service.

I grew up in Seattle, where there isn't a lot of sun.

Solar power is the last energy resource that isn't owned yet - nobody taxes the sun yet.

Already renewable energy advocates are noting that the 42 miles of above-ground right-of-way between Yosemite and the city could be fitted with enough solar panels to generate at least 40 megawatts per year - a proposal the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission has never seriously considered because they currently aren't required to do so.

My house is solar powered. I tell Republicans, you can hate the subsidies - I hate the subsidies, too - but you can't hate solar panels. These are rocks that make electricity, so they are incapable of receiving your hate.

Here at this site, Solyndra expects to make enough solar panels each year to generate 500 megawatts of electricity. And over the lifetime of this expanded facility, that could be like replacing as many as eight coal-fired power plants.

As someone who runs a solar financing company and founded the world's largest youth clean energy organization, I know solar energy is a very good investment.