Larry Hagman of 'Dallas' fame becomes the new face of SolarWorld

Hagman is the face of a new ad campaign for SolarWorld, the German company making solar cells in Hillsboro. He admits the slogan is a jab at Sarah Palin's "Drill, baby, drill," refrain during the 2008 presidential campaign.

"'Shine, baby, shine' is an inexhaustible source of energy," said Hagman, who plans to address the Intersolar trade show today in San Francisco. "When affordable oil gives out, we're in real trouble -- I mean the collapse of civilization, within 15 to 20 years."

Hagman, who also acted in "I Dream of Jeannie," is a longtime renewable-energy advocate who has installed what he believes to be the country's largest residential solar system at his eco-estate north of Los Angeles. He's served on the board of the Solar Electric Light Fund, or SELF, a nonprofit that brings sun-powered projects to developing countries.

Solarworld plans to donate 100 kilowatts of panels to SELF, destined to power at least five additional health clinics in Haiti.