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President Barack Obama speaks at the National Clean Energy Summit at the Mandalay Bay Resort Convention Center, Monday, Aug. 24, 2015, in Las Vegas. The President used the speech to announce a set of executive actions and private sector commitments to acc Andrew Harnik, Associated Press
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President Barack Obama speaks at the National Clean Energy Summit at the Mandalay Bay Resort Convention Center, Monday, Aug. 24, 2015, in Las Vegas. The President used the speech to announce a set of executive actions and private sector commitments to acc Andrew Harnik, Associated Press
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President Barack Obama speaks at the National Clean Energy Summit at the Mandalay Bay Resort Convention Center, Monday, Aug. 24, 2015, in Las Vegas. The President used the speech to announce a set of executive actions and private sector commitments to acc Andrew Harnik, Associated Press
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President Barack Obama waves to members of the audience after speaking at the National Clean Energy Summit at the Mandalay Bay Resort Convention Center, Monday, Aug. 24, 2015, in Las Vegas. The President used the speech to announce a set of executive acti Andrew Harnik, Associated Press
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President Barack Obama speaks at the National Clean Energy Summit Monday, Aug. 24, 2015, in Las Vegas. The President was the keynote speaker at the summit hosted by Senate Minority Leader Sen. Harry Reid of Nev. John Locher, Associated Press
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President Barack Obama steps off Air Force One as he arrives at McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas, Monday, Aug. 24, 2015, to give remarks at the National Clean Energy Summit. Andrew Harnik, Associated Press
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President Barack Obama waves while exiting Air Force One upon his arrival at McCarran International Airport, Monday, Aug. 24, 2015, in Las Vegas. Obama traveled to Nevada to speak at the National Clean Energy Summit in Las Vegas and later to a private eve Chase Stevens, Associated Press
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President Barack Obama steps off Air Force One as he arrives at McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas, Monday, Aug. 24, 2015, to give remarks at the National Clean Energy Summit. Andrew Harnik, Associated Press
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Senate Minority Leader Sen. Harry Reid, left, departs as President Barack Obama speaks at the National Clean Energy Summit at the Mandalay Bay Resort Convention Center, Monday, Aug. 24, 2015, in Las Vegas. The President used the speech to announce a set o Andrew Harnik, Associated Press
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President Barack Obama greets Nevada Gov. Brian Sandoval upon his arrival on Air Force One at McCarran International Airport, Monday, Aug. 24, 2015, in Las Vegas. Obama traveled to Nevada to speak at the National Clean Energy Summit in Las Vegas and later Chase Stevens, Associated Press
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President Barack Obama, left, and Senate Minority Leader Sen. Harry Reid of Nev. wave on stage at the National Clean Energy Summit, Monday, Aug. 24, 2015, in Las Vegas. John Locher, Associated Press
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President Barack Obama salutes while exiting Air Force One upon his arrival at McCarran International Airport, Monday, Aug. 24, 2015, in Las Vegas. Obama traveled to Nevada to speak at the National Clean Energy Summit in Las Vegas and later to a private e Chase Stevens, Associated Press
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President Barack Obama speaks at the National Clean Energy Summit Monday, Aug. 24, 2015, in Las Vegas. The President was the keynote speaker at the summit hosted by Senate Minority Leader Sen. Harry Reid of Nev. John Locher, Associated Press
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President Barack Obama speaks at the National Clean Energy Summit at the Mandalay Bay Resort Convention Center, Monday, Aug. 24, 2015, in Las Vegas. The president used the speech to announce a set of executive actions and other efforts aimed at making it Andrew Harnik, Associated Press
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President Barack Obama speaks at the National Clean Energy Summit at the Mandalay Bay Resort Convention Center, Monday, Aug. 24, 2015, in Las Vegas. The president used the speech to announce a set of executive actions and other efforts aimed at making it Andrew Harnik, Associated Press
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Military personnel hold their hats as Air Force One, with President Barack Obama aboard, departs from Andrews Air Force Base, Md., Monday, Aug. 24, 2015, en route to Las Vegas, Nev. where the the President will speak at the National Clean Energy Summit. Jose Luis Magana, Associated Press
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President Barack Obama speaks at the National Clean Energy Summit at the Mandalay Bay Resort Convention Center, Monday, Aug. 24, 2015, in Las Vegas. The President used the speech to announce a set of executive actions and private sector commitments to acc Andrew Harnik, Associated Press
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President Barack Obama is greeted by Senate Minority Leader Sen. Harry Reid, right, as he arrives to speak at the National Clean Energy Summit at the Mandalay Bay Resort Convention Center, Monday, Aug. 24, 2015, in Las Vegas. The President used the speech Andrew Harnik, Associated Press
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President Barack Obama greets Senate Minority Leader Sen. Harry Reid of Nev., after giving remarks at the National Clean Energy Summit at the Mandalay Bay Resort Convention Center, Monday, Aug. 24, 2015, in Las Vegas. The President used the speech to anno Andrew Harnik, Associated Press
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President Barack Obama, left, and Senate Minority Leader Sen. Harry Reid wave onstage at the National Clean Energy Summit, Monday, Aug. 24, 2015, in Las Vegas. The President is scheduled to spend the night in Nevada. John Locher, Associated Press
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President Barack Obama speaks at the National Clean Energy Summit Monday, Aug. 24, 2015, in Las Vegas. The President was the keynote speaker at the summit hosted by Senate Minority Leader Sen. Harry Reid of Nev. John Locher, Associated Press
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President Barack Obama, right, is greeted by U.S. Sen. Harry Reid as he arrives to speak at the National Clean Energy Summit at the Mandalay Bay Resort Convention Center, Monday, Aug. 24, 2015, in Las Vegas. The president used the speech to announce a set Andrew Harnik, Associated Press
By Associated Press

LAS VEGAS — President Barack Obama brought presidential star power to tout the benefits of solar and wind electricity in the U.S. during an annual green power conference Monday in Las Vegas.

The president used a keynote speech to the eighth National Clean Energy Summit to endorse continuing development of commercial and home solar energy.

He also called for overcoming resistance from what he called fossil-fuel interests trying to protect the status quo.

Earlier, the costs and benefits of rooftop solar electricity in Western states was a key topic of the conference hosted by U.S. Sen. Harry Reid.

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The question hits home in Nevada, where the dominant utility, NV Energy, last week hit a preset statewide cap of 235 megawatts on the amount of rooftop solar power it will buy back from customers.

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