A California initiative that seeks to overturn the state’s restrictions on greenhouse gas emissions has qualified for the November ballot, via the L.A. Times. The proposed changes were spearheaded by Texas oil firms, Valero Energy and Tesoro Corp. The news, it seems, has made Arnold pretty damn angry:

“This initiative sponsored by greedy Texas oil companies would cripple California’s fastest-growing economic sector, reverse our renewable energy policy and decimate our environmental progress for the benefit of these oil companies’ profit margins.”

California Gov. Schwarzenegger added, “I will not allow this to happen on my watch.” While this is a fairly convenient sound byte (Schwarzenegger’s watch is up at the end of the year), the proposed measures would represent a huge step backwards. End. Of. Story.

Florida gets a ton of sun. If only the state legislature could get a cohesive, consistently funded solar incentive structure in place. The alternative has been, well, disappointing to say the least: “No [solar energy] policy at all kills everything.”

If you haven’t already, you solar industry wonks will want to read this bit of gossip from Greentech Media. It seems Suntech Power (NYSE:STP), the China-based solar panel maker, has been ditched by one of its suppliers, Huantai Silicon.

“We definitely no longer cooperate with Suntech,” Sophia Yuan, Huantai Silicon’s CEO assistant, said in a telephone interview on Tuesday.

Word is that Huantai will now work to develop a joint venture with MEMC Electronic Materials (NYSE:WFR).

In Arizona solar news, Governor Jan Brewer today signed SB 2370, a bill that sets up tax credits for the development of solar liquid fuels. What the heck are “solar liquid fuels”? Thanks be to the press release, which explains in plain English:

Similar to photosynthesis, solar liquid fuel refers to the process by which concentrated solar energy is used in conjunction with carbon dioxide and water to create hydrocarbons. In addition to creating combustible fuels like methanol and ethanol, additional processing can potentially yield more traditional fuels like gasoline, diesel and jet fuel.

Finally, in entirely unrelated news, U-S-A! U-S-A! U-S-A!