It's time to celebrate Mom! Of course we should celebrate our mothers everyday, but Mother's Day is a chance for us to treat those very special ladies to a very special celebration.

We have a list of a few local stops that are featuring Mother's Day specials this weekend. Hopefully it will help you treat your mom to a memorable day.

If you know of any other specials going on in the area, please feel free to share them in the comments section below.

Happy Mother's Day!

Gladstones Malibu
When: Sunday, May 13 from 9 a.m.-2 p.m.
Cost: $39.95 for adults, $19.95 for kids 12 and under
Details: This special brunch will feature an omelette station, brioche french toast, local halibut, assorted pastries and more. There will also be bottomless mimosas and bloody mary beverages.
Reservations: Call 310-454-3474

Taste Pacific Palisades
When: Sunday, May 13 from 10:30 a.m.-3 p.m.
Cost: $29 for adults, $14 for kids 12 and under
Details: The brunch will feature menu items like Crab Cake Benedict, Kobe Beef Meatballs and mimosas.
Reservations: 310-459-9808

Maison Giraud
When: Sunday, May 13 from 10 a.m.-2:30 p.m.
Cost: Varies per order
Details: Brunch specials include Green Asparagus Salad with Citrus Vinaigrette ($12), Roasted Halibut with Spring Vegetables and Herb Sauce ($18) and a strawberry and pistachio dessert ($9)
Reservations: 310-459-7561

The Yogurt Shoppe
When: Sunday, May 13 from 11 a.m.-10 p.m.
Cost: Varies per order
Details: All moms will receive free yogurt! There will also be a raffle on Sunday. The winner will receive a day of beauty, featuring a "blow out" at Dry Bar and a manicure and pedicure at Lemon Nail & Spa. The drawing will happen after the store closes on Sunday, so the winner will be announced at a later date.

Scarlett's Cupcakes
When: Sunday, May 13 from 10 a.m.-3 p.m.
Cost: Varies per order
Details: You can order special sweet treats at Scarlett's Cupcakes just for mom. Among the specials are cupcakes decorated with a basket weave design, a heart-shaped layer cake with roses and a "pearls and roses" design. You can also order a "Mom Box" which includes a variety of cupcakes with a ribbon.
Pre-orders: 310-454-0290

LOS ANGELES (CBS) — Trading in your old cell phone for the latest technology can be expensive, but now there’s an eco-friendly way to get cash for your electronics.

The ECO ATM, which can be found in malls across Southern California, pays customers for old cell phones and electronic gadgets.

The machine identifies devices and give an initial cash offer. The customer is then asked to plug the phone or product into the machine for diagnostic testing, at which point a final offer is given.

The customer’s driver’s license is then scanned so an in-store credit can be issued. Users can also choose to have the funds donated to charity.

The phones are then re-sold to be refurbished or recycled in an environmentally responsible manner.

ECO ATM is backed by the same company that operates Red Box and Coinstar.

To find a kiosk near you, visit ECO ATM.

Advance registration is required at http://communitysolar.eventbrite.com.

Topics covered will include eligibility requirements, application process and project selection criteria; solar system design, installation and interconnection costs; and project readiness for available financing options.

Register for the webcast online or call (310) 893-3100 to discuss your solar project.  More information is available at openneighborhoods.net/communitysolar.

Through April 30, 2012 Open Neighborhoods is accepting solar project submissions from commercial and multi-family property owners.

Eligible properties are located in the City of Los Angeles and have at least 4,000 square feet of rooftop or parking lot space suitable for solar. As part of the Open Neighborhoods Community Solar program, selected installer PermaCity is offering up to 33% discounts on installation costs. Financing options are also available to qualified participants.

Call (310) 893-3100 for details and ask about the Open Neighborhoods Community Solar discount. Visit openneighborhoods.net/communitysolar for more information and to submit a property location by April 30, 2012.

RELATED

1. Occupy Rooftops: Nov. 20 Community Solar Action Day
2. Jan 21st: Google and Clean Power Finance Offer Funding for Solar on Residential Rooftops
3. LA City Council Unanimously Approves Solar Feed-In Tariff Program; Solar Companies Accepting Project Submissions Through April 30

To commemorate 10,000 homes in California environmentally efficient enough to earn the GreenPoint Rated label, Energy Upgrade California is offering L.A. County residents up to $2,000 in rebates to bring their homes up to the same standard.

For a home to qualify for a GreenPoint Rated label, it has to meet requirements across five categories: energy efficiency, resource conservation, indoor air quality, water conservation and livable community benefits, such as bike accessibility. There is an additional $8,000 in rebates available for extensive and often high-cost energy efficiency upgrades like insulation and duct sealing.

“A green home is good for the planet, healthier for you and your family -- and now, with these new rebates, getting the label that proves your home is green is basically free,” said Howard Choy, GM of the County Office of Sustainability in a press release. “We hope these rebates will encourage more Los Angeles homeowners to consider going green.”

So far, California’s 10,000 GreenPoint Rated homes have saved enough water to fill MacArthur Park Lake five times over (112 million gallons, to be exact), and eliminated almost 9,000 tons of greenhouse gases.

The council delegated to the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LA DWP) the right to enter into up to 150 megawatts of feed-in tariff (FIT) contracts with commercial and residential solar power producers.

Like a similar program proposed by LA Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa in 2008, the contracts pre-approved by the City Council allow the DWP to purchase, at an above retail rate (tariff), the electricity fed into the utility’s grid by solar system owners over a pre-designated number of years.

A demonstration FIT plan previously approved by the City Council and already budgeted by DWP allots $58 million over twenty-two years to support ten megawatts of rooftop solar contracts. It is expected to cost $0.9 million in its first year, increase slowly to $2.9 million in 2016 and, finally, to expend $46 million from 2017 to 2033. Its 22-year term is likely indicative of what DWP is considering for larger volume programs

The ten-megawatt demo plan will include systems between 30 kilowatts and 999 kilowatts. The first 8 megawatts, designated for the LA basin, will be for systems between 151 kilowatts and 999 kilowatts. The second 1.7 megawatts, also designated for the LA basin, will be for systems between 30 kilowatts and 150 kilowatts. The last 0.3 megawatts are designated for LA DWP’s Owens Valley service territory and are designated for systems between 30 kilowatts and 150 kilowatts.

The new measure approved by the City Council allows the utility to enter into contracts of up to 150 megawatts.

The approved plan will require approval from the LA DWP’s Board of Directors. Assent is expected.

Feed-in tariffs were conceived in California in the late 1970s as a way to grow renewables by promising a profit over an extended period of time to those willing to risk investing in solar, wind, geothermal and other renewables. The FIT concept was refined in Germany and then in other EU countries from 1999 on.

Advocates say well-designed FITs, with modest tariffs that decline over time in a controlled way as solar capacity grows, drive renewables growth. Opponents claim they inevitably lead to investment bubbles. California’s auction mechanism is an alternative, market-based incentive program. It allows renewable power producers to establish the rate of return in an open bidding process. The DWP demo plan calls for prices set by bidding, using an avoided-cost baseline. Once again, this is likely indicative of what the larger volume contracts will call for.

Villaraigosa kicked off mainstream debate about an FIT program in LA with his 2008 proposal to fund 150 megawatts of solar. Polls showed strong public approval for it and studies by the Los Angeles Business Council (LABC) showed it would create jobs and generate economic activity.

But the Villaraigosa plan ran afoul of ratepayer suspicions about elevated power prices, resistance from LA DWP traditionalists and a controversy between the electricians’ union and independent solar installers over who would have access to the work.

New developments of greater force have moved some of those obstacles aside.

VoteSolar’s Adam Browning, who, along with many other renewables, environmental and grassroots activists, has long fought for an LA FIT, said new California legislation and the efforts of LA DWP General Manager Ron Nichols were the primary drivers behind the City Council’s move.

“There is a huge opportunity,” Browning said of the potential to build rooftop solar in Los Angeles. “LA DWP is the country’s biggest municipally-owned utility,” he noted, but “also the farthest behind in California.” Nichols, Browning said, “is the right person [for the General Manager job] and now we have the force of law.”

Due to initiatives put in place by California Governor Jerry Brown, LA DWP must meet the state’s mandated 33 percent renewables by 2020 standard as well as the SB 32-mandated 75 megawatts of FIT-supported renewables.

Nichols, who took charge at the utility after the Villaraigosa plan was waylaid, told a Los Angeles newspaper that the demonstration FIT program is just the beginning of a larger push by LA DWP for commercial and residential rooftop solar.

"We need to do this,” Nichols was quoted, referring to the demonstration plan, “to learn about the costs and the pricing.” But ultimately, he said, “we hope to have hundreds of these as we go forward."

LABC was credited by Browning and others as one of the key forces in the city council finally turning to the FIT incentive. LABC took up the cause in 2009, backing Villaraigosa by funding five studies that showed how jobs, revenues and pollution reduction benefits would come from driving solar growth.

Approximately eighteen months ago, LABC aligned itself with solar incentive programs emerging across the country and joined the effort to rebrand the FIT concept as a CLEAN Solar program. By enacting its CLEAN Solar FIT program, the LA City Council joined recent new entry Palo Alto, CA. and longstanding members Sacramento,CA, and Gainesville, FL, in the movement.

As recently detailed by GTM, the Palo Alto tariff will be set at its avoided cost price of $0.14 per kilowatt-hour. The Gainesville tariff was in the $0.26 to $0.32 range.

As reported by CBS Los Angeles, the Community Development Block Grant program provided the upgrades for free to single-family homes with an income of less than $67,000 in the L.A. County’s 1^st District. The grant operator, Enterprise Community Partners, estimate the panels will eliminate 1200 tons of greenhouse gas emissions over their 30-year lifespan.

Los Angeles neighborhood councils in Silver Lake, Venice and Mar Vista have already adopted official goals of 100% clean power by 2018.  Santa Monica has set a goal of energy independence by 2020 and the City of San Francisco is developing an implementation plan to generate 100% of it’s electricity from renewable sources by 2020.

On Wednesday March 14th, Open Neighborhoods and PermaCity are hosting a free mixer in Silver Lake to celebrate the transition to clean, renewable energy.  RSVP at http://silverlakesolarmixer.eventbrite.com.

Diane Moss, former Environmental Deputy to Congresswoman Jane Harman and Co-Founder of the Renewable 100 Policy Institute, will be introducing the Go100Percent.org map of 100% renewables projects worldwide.    Learn how your community can get on the map and join the race to 100% clean power!

Paul Spencer, founder and CEO of the Clean Energy Collective and winner of the 2011 Dept. of Energy’s National Green Power Innovator of the Year award, will be highlighting new innovations enabling communities to achieve 100% clean, renewable energy.

 Open Neighborhoods and PermaCity will be sharing details of a Los Angeles County-wide solar program offering discounts up to 33% for residential, commercial and multi-family installations. To qualify for group savings, register for a free rooftop assessment before April 30, 2012 at www.openneighborhoods.net/gosolar or call (310) 893-3100.

On Wednesday March 14th You’re Invited to a Free Mixer at LIVING ROOM in Silver Lake
	Special guest Diane Moss, former Environmental Deputy to Congresswoman Jane Harman, will discuss Go100Percent.org and various 100% renewable projects worldwide. Paul Spencer of the Colorado-based Clean Energy Collective, winner of the 2011 Dept of Energy Green Power Innovator of the Year award will discuss new innovations enabling community-wide solar power. RSVP: http://silverlakesolarmixer.eventbrite.com
Speakers will present information about the Silver Lake Neighborhood Council goal of 100% clean power and a Los Angeles County-wide solar programoffering discounts up to 33% for residential, commercial and multi-family installations. Solar experts, installers and home energy advisors will be on hand to discuss incentives and rebates — and new funding from Google and Clean Power Finance to install solar panels on residential rooftops. Mingle with local residents, business owners, community leaders and environmental advocates. Enjoy a glass of wine and complimentary hors d’oevres, relax to DJ grooves by Psykick Girl, and browse Living Room’s collection of home furnishings and upholstery custom-made here in Los Angeles. WHAT: Free Solar Mixer Open to the Public WHEN: Wednesday March 14th, 2012, 7-9pm WHERE: Living Room, 3531 West Sunset Blvd in Silver Lake RSVP: http://silverlakesolarmixer.eventbrite.com DOWNLOAD: PDF Event Flyer

RELATED

1. Wednesday, March 14th, 2012 – Solar Mixer at LIVING ROOM in Silver Lake
2. Free Solar Mixer at LIVING ROOM in Silver Lake
3. Silver Lake Earth Day Conference on Goal of 100% Clean Power

Featuring over 80 local merchants, free music, demonstrations and tastings, plus a weekend of festivities throughout Santa Monica! Get “caught with your receipt showing” to be entered into a raffle for some great prizes from local businesses. Enjoy sidewalk sales citywide, a Buy Local scavenger hunt, open studios + art walk at Santa Monica Airport and more! To help make buying local as easy and affordable as possible, many local businesses will be offering special deals and discounts.

For more information, visit www.buylocalsantamonica.com/buylocalweekend and www.smchamber.com/BuyLocalExpo.

Mingle with local residents, business owners, community leaders and environmental advocates.  Enjoy a glass of wine and complimentary hors d'oevres, relax to DJ grooves by Psykick Girl, and browse Living Room's collection of home furnishings and upholstery custom -- made here in Los Angeles.  More at www.livingroomhome.com.

Speakers will present information Silver Lake's goal of 100% clean electricity and a neighborhood solar program offering solar discounts up to 33% for residential, commercial and multi-family installations.  Solar installers and home energy experts will be on hand to discuss incentives, rebates and financing options -- including new funding from Google and Clean Power Finance to install solar panels on residential rooftops.

Special guest Diane Moss, former Environmental Deputy to Congresswoman Jane Harman, is co-founder of the Renewables 100 Policy Institute (www.renewables100.org) and the www.go100percent.org worldwide map of 100% renewable projects.

WHAT: Free Solar Mixer Open to the Public

WHEN: Wednesday March 14th, 2012, 7-9pm

WHERE: Living Room, 3531 West Sunset Blvd in Silver Lake

RSVP: www.opensilverlake.net/solarmixer

DOWNLOAD: PDF Event Flyer

Featured speaker John Zavalney from the Climate Reality Projectwill facilitate a lively discussion highlighting the…

Time:March 8, 2012 from 5:30pm to 7:30pm
Location:Mar Vista Library
Street:12006 Venice Blvd.
City/Town:Los Angeles
Website or Map:http://openmarvista.net/clima…
Phone:(310) 893-3100
Export to Outlook or iCal (.ics)

A cool-down in European solar markets combined with an over-supply of panels from China has led to a massive decline in solar panel prices. Over the last year, prices for solar panels have fallen 50 percent. In the U.S., falling prices spell competition, and many solar providers are hustling to position themselves to take advantage of a rapidly changing solar industry.

While solar panel manufacturers have taken a hit from the 50-percent reduction caused by the glut of supplies, home solar contractors are seeing their profits rise. SolarCity, the nation’s largest residential solar installer, is expected to initiate a public offering this year.

As solar providers stabilize their bottom line, they attract more investors. Previously, investors have been drawn to large-scale solar energy projects, but as the market shifts, they are increasingly backing smaller installation contractors. Investment firms are predicting that if solar brands succeed with public offerings, the market could experience exponential growth.

To see what home solar pricing is like in your area, click here.

Homeowners have enjoyed lower installations costs as well. According to the Lawrence Berkeley National Lab’s Tracking the Sun report, the cost of installing home PV systems has dropped 43 percent over the last dozen years.

The most recent drop in solar panel prices, however, has been slow to make a difference in what homeowners pay. Savings from lower component prices first impact distributors, integrators and providers before showing up in installed prices.

A fragmented industry makes it harder to pass on savings to customers, too. As yet, there are no major wholesale solar parts distributors. Most solar contractors purchase the various equipment needed for installations from a number of manufacturers, driving up costs.

The industry is beginning to address this issue as well. You can expect to see installation costs continue to drop as players in the competitive solar market find their niche.

Photo Credit: Thinkstock.com

Full-service shops

Hours: Mon to Fri -10 a.m. to 7 p.m., Sat 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

West L.A. Music supplies guitar equipment to top musicians around the world in all entertainment-based industries, including recording studios, film production facilities and composers. Here, you can fulfill your musical dreams with the store’s variety of guitar basics and paraphernalia including guitars (acoustic, electric, bass, classical), amplifiers, synthesizers, capos, polish, cases, picks, pickups, speaker cabinets, straps, strings and tuning gears.

Hours: Tues to Fri – 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., Sat to Mon – 10 a.m. 7 p.m.

Started by Herman Walecki in 1946 and managed by his son throughout the past four decades, Westwood Music Center is the exclusive dealer for Bill Asher, designer and builder of Asher Guitars and Lap Steels. The master craftsmanship behind Asher’s Ultra Tone T-Deluxe and S-Custom guitars, inspired by Leo Fender’s Telecaster and Stratocaster, and his Ben Harper signature Lap Steel is a sight that can make any musician drool. In addition, the guitar store holds auctions every weekend, where one instrument with legendary value is auctioned off to the public. Auctions include instruments owned and played by Dan Folgelberg, Steven Stills, Bernie Leadon and Kenny Burrell.

For vintage strumming

Hours: Tues to Sat – 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Looking for a collector’s item won’t be hard to locate at Norman’s Rare Guitars.  Since the opening of its first shop in 1975, Norman’s Rare Guitars continues to hold a collection of hard-to-find vintage guitars, including Gibson, Fender, Rickenbacker, Martin, and Gretsch. Norman’s rare mixture of instruments has earned him credibility among collectors, musicians and many high profile musical artists and bands. Frequent Norman’s visitors have included Robert Pattinson, Bob Dylan and Tom Petty.

Hours: Tues to Sat – 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

In a quest for finding rare acoustic guitars, The Fretted Frog owner decided to ditch his frustrations of searching big box retailers and open his own alternative acoustic guitar store. The Fretted Frog is known for finding and selling hard-to-find guitar brands such as Boulder Creek, Cole Clark, Deering, Goodtime and Vega Banjos, George Lowden, Godin, Lag and Saga: Blueridge, Cigano and Gitane.

Related: Best Music Clubs In LA

Photo Credit: Thinkstock.com

Custom-made guitars

Hours: Available by phone Tues to Sat – 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Tomas Delgado exemplifies Candelas’ history of skill for handcrafting the most beautiful classical, mariachi and bajo sexto guitars in the world. Candelas Guitars have touched the magical fingers of world-class performers including Andres Segovia, Celedonio Romero, Jose Feliciano, Charo, Los Lobos, Jackson Browne, Quetzal and Ozomatli. Candelas Guitar Shop produces guitars with unmatched sounds, tones and quality at affordable prices.

Hours: By Appointment Only

Neely Custom Guitars utilizes exclusive customizing techniques to meet the high quality demands for both studio and stage instruments. Each style has its own balance of woods, strings, acoustics and electronics. Building and repairing guitars since 1974, David Neely has a unique understanding of how real musicians use their instruments on stage or in the studios. He uses this knowledge to make modifications and repairs with a personal attention to detail.

Jennifer Geisman is a freelance writer and faithful beauty junkie living in Los Angeles. Her work can be found at Examiner.com.

Critics of plug-in cars like the 2012 Nissan Leaf and 2012 Mitsubishi i often say their high sticker prices are just too expensive to make a sound economic case for making the switch from gasoline to electric.

Not so, says electric car advocate and BMW ActiveE driver Peder Norby. In fact, Norby argues, driving nothing but electric cars for 50 years could save you a massive $263,000 in fuel bills.

Examining the infrastructure and energy cost included in driving a 20 mpg gasoline car versus installing a 2 kilowatt peak photovoltaic solar array and using energy from it to charge an electric car, Norby passionately states his case.

For the first year, he points out, a gasoline car costs significantly less to run than a solar-charged electric car, partly because of the initial $8,000 investment in a solar array.

But as the years roll by, and the solar panels continue to function, the cost of running the electric car drops considerably.

Over 50 years, he claims, a solar-powered electric car would cost just $12,000 to run. In contrast he explains, the gasoline car would have a net fuel cost of $275,000 over the same period. While we agree that over a 50-year period, electric cars will most certainly cost less to run than gasoline ones, there is just one caveat.

Just as range per charge of electric cars is likely to increase over the coming years, so too will gasoline gas mileage — something not taken into consideration in the calculation. Since it’s unusual for someone to own the same car for 50 years, we have to assume multiple cars will be owned during that period with each one benefiting better gas mileage compared to its predecessor.

Although that equates to smaller quantities of fuel being used, increasing gasoline prices may negate any benefits improved gas mileage has over the 50 year period. But then, by Norby’s own admission, the purpose of his calculations wasn’t scientific accuracy.

Instead, he points out, the graph is meant to be simple to understand, and to help explain how much cheaper electric cars are to run than gasoline ones.

“It does not include external cost such as the protection(sic) of oil, propping up oil supplying countries, clean up of oil, environmental or healthcare cost, nor does it include the cost of grid electricity at night when an electric car normally charges,” he writes. “Nor does the graph include the price of the cars themselves. A reasonable argument can be made for both the gasoline car and the electric car as to which will be cheaper to own and maintain for the next 50 years. I’m betting on the electric car.”

______________________________

This article originally appeared on Green Car Reports.

Buy One, Get One Free on Valentine's Day at The Coffee Bean

The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf recently held a Valentine’s Day Facebook poll, and discovered that 34 percent of first-time daters would choose a coffee shop as a first date spot in order to have peace and quiet while engaging in quality conversation. Twenty-four percent of respondents said they’d choose a coffee shop so they could have a quick date and end it early if necessary (we’ve all been there), and 25 percent said they’d choose a coffee shop because it makes them feel comfortable. So in honor of potentially meeting a new flame or simply enjoying quiet time with your loved one, The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf is providing a two-for one offer for Valentine’s Day only on Tuesday, Feb. 14. Simply buy one drink and the second one (at equal or lesser value) free. While Culver City doesn’t officially have a Coffee Bean, there is one close by in the strip mall the corner of Venice and Motor at 10401 Venice Blvd., 90034.

Cool Pre-Valentine's Day Party for Singles at CoolHaus

CoolHaus Ice Cream store believes it’s still not too late to meet that special someone in time for Valentine’s Day. So on Monday, Feb. 13, CoolHaus is throwing a pre-Valentine’s Day party for singles only. For just $20 you’ll receive unlimited ice-cream sandwiches, ice cream floats, hot chocolate and all the comfort food you could want… just in case you don’t meet Mr. or Ms. Right. As an added bonus you’ll also be on hand for the launch of CoolHaus’s latest ice cream flavor… Fried Chicken and Waffles.

Akasha’s Romantic Prix Fixe Valentine’s Day Menu

Akasha has released its prix fixe Valentine’s Day Menu. For just $60 you and your special someone can enjoy a romantic dinner on Feb. 14. Reservations are highly recommended and you can even order a vegan meal if you like. The menu includes crostini with goat cheese, figs and truffle honey; saffron risotto with lobster butter, shrimp and scallops; tandoori lamb chops with spinach puree, eggplant with tomato masala and raita; wild mushroom and sheep ricotta ravioli and chocolate hazelnut crème brulee. This is just a small sampling of the Valentine’s Day menu on offer. To see the complete menu click here.

Royal/T Goes Ethiopian for Valentine's Day

Royal/T is offering an "Eat Your Heart Out" Valentine's Day menu with an Ethiopian flair. Bereket - LA’s only Ethiopian supper club, will host a seven course meal in honor of Valentine's Day. In a collaboration with chef Isaiah Frizzell of pHeast, Royal/T promises "this special event will feature our modern take on an ancient cuisine." There's a private chef's table if you're flying solo on Valentine's Day - for up to 15 people. For everyone else, there will be two seatings at 6 and 8:30 p.m. RSVP now to book your tickets by clicking here. Prices are $75 per ticket, $95 if youw ant wine pairings. There will also be a chas bar and a live DJ. 

[Related Articles] Valentine’s Day Brings Sweet Deals

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The amount of electricity produced via rooftop solar panels in Los Angeles nearly tripled over the past two years, putting it within striking distance of San Diego, which is California's biggest solar-electricity producer.  

As of September, Los Angeles has 4,018 rooftop solar installations, second to San Diego's 4,507, according to a report by Environment California, released last week.

San Jose, Fresno and San Francisco rounded out the state's top five solar electricity producers.

The maximum output in Los Angeles is 36 megawatts, slightly less than San Diego's 37 megawatts, according to Environment California.

Electrical current is measured in megawatts (a million watts) and kilowatts (1,000 watts), and usage is measured in kilowatt-hours or 1,000 watts per hour.

An average American household uses about 10,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity over the course of a year.

Los Angeles nearly tripled the amount of rooftop solar energy in the last two years to surge to the No. 2 spot in California, the report said. Per capita, however, only about one in 1,000 Angelenos have rooftop photovoltaic panels.

"If the city of Los Angeles achieved the same levels of solar penetration as Santa Cruz and Chico, it would have more than 50,000 solar rooftops and 400 MW of solar power," the report said.

Germany now gets about 4 percent of its electricity from solar panels, thanks largely to a government incentive program that has helped create about 100,000 jobs over the past decade.

Earlier: California Ranked No. 1 for Solar Jobs