Gov. Jerry Brown in SF to discuss solar energy

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- Governor Jerry Brown was in San Francisco on Thursday to talk about solar energy.

The governor was joined by Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julian Castro atop a Tenderloin apartment building.

They presented a plan to make subsidized housing units more energy efficient. That includes helping building owners pay for the installation of solar panels.

The plan fits into the governor's and the president's climate change initiatives.

"Reducing our energy consumption by 50 percent on existing buildings, increasing renewables 50 percent and reducing our petroleum as close to 50 percent as we can," Brown said.

HUD estimates that it could save nearly $7 billion on its utility bill every year just by increasing the efficiency of its apartment buildings by 20 percent.