From the Merced Sun-Star:

Anyone who has lived in the San Joaquin Valley knows that if there's one thing we have plenty of, it's sunshine.

The many months of sunshine contribute mightily to our agricultural bounty and is a reason that many people choose to live here.

Now we're on the verge of seeing the sun in a new light -- as the way to produce much of the energy we need to power our households, businesses and factories.

For all the talk about solar power in the past few years, it's still a very small part of the power Californians use. In 2009, solar accounted for less than 1 percent of the power generated in the state, according to the California Energy Commission.

Our View: Harvesting the sun in the Valley