Solar Lobby Day: 350 solar supporters went to the State Capitol to defend rooftop solar
Massive thanks to the nearly 350 solar users, solar workers, and solar businesses who went to the State Capitol in Sacramento on June 6th for Solar Lobby Day! Purpose of Solar Lobby Day The purpose of Solar Lobby Day is to meet face-to-face with state lawmakers and their staff about why California needs to do more to promote rooftop solar….
California’s Ratepayer Advocate Working Against Rooftop Solar
The Utility Reform Network (TURN) has been an advocate for ratepayers, lobbying the CPUC to keep utility bills low. TURN’s fight has been an uphill battle, as California’s crazy high electricity bills indicate. But TURN certainly gets an E for effort. Unfortunately, TURN is now using their reputation to attack rooftop solar, using the same arguments as the utilities. They…
When the Berkeley name is used to vilify rooftop solar
The Energy Institute at the Haas School of Business at UC Berkeley (Haas Energy Institute) is often cited in news stories and government reports as an ‘independent’ academic source for information about rooftop solar. The Haas Energy Institute’s director is frequently called upon to provide research for the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), and sits on the Board of the…
San Diego County plan would deliver SDG&E more profits while undercutting rooftop solar
On May 24th, the San Diego County Board of Supervisors is scheduled to vote on an SDG&E-backed plan that will set the stage to spend billions of ratepayer dollars on unnecessary long distance power lines. It will also cut the legs out from under rooftop solar. If the plan passes, it’ll set the stage for higher utility bills and more…
Proposed Utility Tax would increase electricity bills for millions, undermine rooftop solar, and discourage conservation
Summary At the direction of the California State Legislature, the utilities the the CA Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) are proposing to charge most residential ratepayers a Utility Tax of $24 to $70 per month. Even a $24/month Utility Tax would be twice times the national average. This mandatory Utility Tax would increase electricity bills on millions for working Californians who…
Why state lawmakers must pass a bill to Stop the Big Utility Tax
A team of state legislators have introduced a bill to put a $10/month cap back on the Utility Tax. The bill, AB 1999, would fix a 2022 law that uncapped the Utility Tax, opening the door for nasty bill increases on millions of ratepayers. Utilities and their allies are lobbying furiously to defeat this effort. Which side will prevail—the public…
Frequently asked questions about changes to California’s rooftop solar rules (aka “NEM3”)
Defying overwhelming public opposition, state officials voted in late 2022 to make drastic changes to California’s rooftop solar rules (called “net energy metering”). The decision by the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) will make it much more expensive to get rooftop solar starting in mid-April 2023. The decision mostly affects those who do not yet have solar, but can affect…
CPUC voted to send rooftop solar off a cliff
The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) unanimously voted on December 15th to make drastic changes to the state’s rooftop solar rules. Read the final decision (NEM3) Fact sheet How the CPUC’s decision may affect you Key details Most consumers who get solar after April 2023 will see an average 75% reduction in the credit they receive for sharing their extra…
The net metering policy that puts consumers at the center
Most people, including Governor Newsom, agree that the CPUC’s proposed rooftop solar decision (Net Energy Metering 3.0 or “NEM3”) needs to be changed. The billion dollar question now is, “what changes will Governor Newsom and the CPUC make?” Since the CPUC’s original proposal from December is so extreme, measuring the effectiveness of the Governor’s response must be based on basic…
Update: Solar Tax defeated, again!
We are happy to report that the authors of SB 846 have agreed to clarify in writing that the bill will not impose a Solar Tax on the solar energy you produce and consume at home. In other words, you helped defeat the Solar Tax. Again. This is the third time in the last year we have had to fight to…