In Memoriam
Bill Walton
1952-2024

It is with great sadness that we say goodbye to basketball legend and solar energy champion, Bill Walton, who passed away on Monday after a battle with cancer.

Bill Walton was not only one of the world’s greatest basketball players he was also one of the world’s greatest rooftop solar advocates.

Because of his support of several CALSSA member companies, Bill ended up on our email list a few years ago, receiving newsletters and alerts just like this one. He read every one, keeping himself informed, and taking action to support our industry time after time.

In fact, just weeks ago he responded to our email requesting donations to our silent auction with a special sports memorabilia package. He donated to CALSSA’s auction every year, directly mailing the prize to the winner himself.

Bill’s greatest gift to the solar energy movement was his ability to rev people up for the fight while pushing forward a vision of love, beauty, and progress. He could get everyone down on the court giving it their all like a giant Solar Team Captain.

Among many other things he did for CALSSA, Bill made several videos. One was for our Covid-lockdown Stand Up For Solar fundraising event on Zoom in October 2020, and another was to help build political support to stop the solar tax and retroactive changes to net metering – as was being proposed and pushed by the CPUC in 2021. (Thanks in part to Bill, we ended up defeating the solar tax and the retroactive changes to customers that were proposed in the first CPUC NEM 3 decision). 

These two videos are worth watching (again, for some of you). It isn’t just that he’s enthusiastic about rooftop solar and batteries. Millions of people are as well. It is that he manages to inspire you to be a better version of yourself. To lead with a positive vision but to also be unafraid to call it like it is. A foul is a foul even if the game is beautiful.

To honor Bill in the best way possible we must redouble our own commitment to be the best team players we can possibly be. We are, each and every one of us, superstars in Bill’s eyes and we can do him and his legacy a great honor by recommitting ourselves to “the greatest challenge”, as Bill put it, which is to generate and manage energy sustainably.

Putting solar and storage on every home is the “biggest no brainer in the world”. Bill understood that. But he was also clear-eyed about the forces working against us. In one of his pep talks back in 2020 on the eve of our most recent NEM battle he said, "So, when the rejection comes, we know that we are right. And that we are going to keep coming back all the time and that comes down to the persistence, the perseverance, and the discipline to get it all done. So, I am looking forward to this incredible battle. The battle is on. I know the value of the team. When you have a team and when you value something, you are going to get what you want. Because whatever we value will flourish. So, as we are out there doing the challenges on a constant basis out here. Think of the other forces of history that have changed during the course of our lifetime and even before. It was never handed to us. It was never given to us even though we were right all the time. It takes people out there on a constant basis and I am proud, honored and privileged to be a part of this team and the fact that we are out there doing everything we can on a constant basis, it warms my heart, but it also allows me to sleep at night.” 

Thank you, Bill, for being our coach, cheerleader, star player, and most enthusiastic broadcaster all rolled up into one. We will miss you greatly, and we will continue, in your honor, the fight, the vision, and the hard work that’s required to create change. Go Team Solar!

Sincerely,

Bernadette Del Chiaro & Team CALSSA