SMUD is still working to block rooftop solar. Here’s what customers are doing about it.
In March 2019, SMUD proposed charging its solar customers an average of $40 to $60 per month. They canceled the proposal after a public outcry. SMUD then promised to conduct a public process to determine its solar policies for the future. Even as that process unfolds, SMUD keeps doing things that block people from making and storing solar energy on…
Blueprint for the Utility of the Future
It is time for utilities to join the 21st century or get left in the dust. Here’s what Sacramento area solar users recently proposed to their local utility, SMUD. Nearly 1,000 SMUD customers signed a petition in support of this proposal. Could this be the blueprint for the utility of the future? September 3, 2019 Proposal for SMUD to Partner…
A huge power outage just happened. Utilities keep attacking solar & storage. State officials stand aside. What’s wrong with this picture?
We have four take-homes from this week’s PG&E power outage: Outage take-home #1: Our electrical grid is fragile. Solar and battery storage should be a key strategy to move us forward These two articles frame the issue well: From Fast Company Magazine: To keep the lights on during California’s blackouts, people are using solar power “Between the solar and the…
SMUD trying to keep solar off new homes
The Sacramento-area utility, SMUD, is back with another anti-solar proposal. The once cutting edge public utility is now pushing to gut the state’s new plan to put solar panels and batteries into new home construction. SMUD’s “alternative” plan instead locks new homeowners into being 100% dependent on SMUD for at least twenty years, and denies thousands of new homeowners and…
Solar users went to your State Capitol. Here’s how it went.
In late August, two dozen solar users from across the state joined solar workers at the State Capitol to educate lawmakers about the benefits of rooftop solar, part of our 2nd Annual Solar Lobby Day. All in all, we met with over twenty lawmakers or their staffs in one day. Why do we organize Solar Lobby Day? The main goal…
Good news: Cities can’t tax your solar thanks to state lawmaker action
State lawmakers took a stand for your right to make solar energy by ensuring local governments can’t tax your solar. Background: local governments often charge taxes on services like cable and electricity. They’re called Utility Utilization Taxes (UUT). A few years ago, state lawmakers correctly recognized that you should not get taxed for the solar energy that you make and…
New solar fees as high as $60/month proposed by utilities across CA
San Diego Gas & Electric and many cities are attacking rooftop solar with charges as high as $60 per month on solar users. Solar users fought this nonsense off in Sacramento, and you should too. This is exactly why we need a Solar Bill of Rights to prohibit fees that discriminate against people for making solar energy on their property….
California hits one million solar roofs milestone
This year, the one millionth solar roof system was installed in California. That’s a fifty-fold increase since 2006. It’s a huge milestone, and worth celebrating because solar has been great for the people of California. Leadership and policy got us to 1 million We got this far because of some good decisions state leaders made in 2006. Back then, only…
Eight ways your solar benefits everyone
The utilities killed the Solar Bill of Rights by falsely telling lawmakers that your solar is an expensive burden on the electrical grid. That claim, greased by campaign contributions and scores of lobbyists, prompted influential lawmakers to secretly gut the bill. Solar users know the truth: your solar system not only benefits you individually, but the entire community as well….
Solar heros of the month
These folks helped lead the successful grassroots opposition to the Sacramento utility’s proposed $40-$60 per month solar fee. Since then, they’ve organized lobby days for the Solar Bill of Rights and launched a new campaign to improve their utility’s approach to solar. Pictured left to right are Gabor Leidenfrost, Lee Miller and Alan Escarda (Solar Rights Alliance Executive Director Dave…