Calling it a potential "game changer," the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) is praising new efforts by California Gov. Jerry Brown to significantly expand the state's renewable energy goals.

In his inaugural address this week, Gov. Brown said he wants California’s renewable energy goals raised from 33 percent by 2020 to 50 percent by 2030. California already leads the nation with more than 8,500 megawatts (MW) of installed solar capacity, enough to effectively power more than 2 million homes.

“This new goal could be a real ‘game changer’ – not only in California, but for our nation,” said SEIA President and CEO Rhone Resch. “California’s ‘lead-by-example’ green initiatives are being copied in state after state, and have helped to fuel the tremendous growth of solar nationwide. We applaud Gov. Brown once again for his forward-looking policies and his commitment to a cleaner environment.”

There are currently nearly 2,100 solar companies at work throughout the value chain in California, employing 47,223 people. In addition, in 2013, $7.1 billion was invested in California to install solar for home, business and utility use. This represents a 83 percent increase over the previous year and is expected to have grown again when all the numbers are in for 2014.