Harnessing the Sun in the Antelope Valley

Those of us who live in Southern California love to brag about our weather, much to the chagrin of the rest of the country when were in shorts and they're in wool sweaters. The sun is one of our greatest attractions, and could be one of our greatest resources. Solar power seems a natural fit with our climate and location, though for many of us it remains cost-prohibitive, even with state and local tax breaks and incentives. But a local incentive in Lancaster is an offer residents cannot refuse – or wont be able to a year from now. Last week, the city council there voted to require that all new homes of a certain size – built after January first, 2014 – have rooftop solar units. It's the first such zoning ordinance in the country.