You have the right to make energy from the sun without interference from the utilities.
On April 27th, we held a webinar to outline where the fight to defend rooftop solar stands, what the public can expect next from the CPUC, and what people can do to make their voices heard. Watch the webinar here:
Following weeks of silence, the first substantive remarks on rooftop solar have started to trickle out of the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC). These remarks paint the picture of a government agency unabashedly selling utility propaganda against rooftop solar. They also suggest that the CPUC didn’t actually get the overwhelming message from the public, and is planning to reissue a …
In February, thanks to a massive public outcry, the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) shelved their proposal to slap consumers with a Solar Tax averaging $700 per year. But since then, the CPUC and Gov. Newsom have been silent on what comes next. It’s possible they are working on other ways to sneak the Solar Tax back to the table. …
Get the full White Paper: The Utility “Cost Shift” Fallacy: How the utilities use tricky math to vilify rooftop solar Summary Rooftop solar and battery storage helps reduce the cost of the electrical grid, saving all ratepayers money The continued growth of rooftop solar and battery storage is key to a successful clean energy transition that puts the needs of …
On Monday January 10th, two reporters asked Governor Newsom where he stood on the CA Public Utilities Commission’s proposal to penalize people for choosing solar energy, and whether the proposal needed to be changed. The Governor’s answer: “We still have work to do…Do I think changes should be made? Yes, I do.” View his full response to the first and the second question. The good …
This week, the LA Times published a story about the fight over rooftop solar, followed up by a smaller article. Here’s eight take-homes from the story. 1) Everyone loves rooftop solar, including working and middle class people. By featuring new solar user Marta Patricia Martinez, the LA Times illustrated an important fact: just under half of all new solar is …
The national association of senior citizens, AARP, recently doubled down on their confused position about rooftop solar. In doing so, AARP remains aligned with PG&E and the other California utilities’ efforts to double the cost of rooftop solar. This is unfortunate, and against the interests of senior citizens and all ratepayers suffering from blackouts and ever-increasing electricity bills. Background: AARP …
Summary On March 15th, California’s three investor-owned utilities submitted a joint proposal intended to pressure the CA Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) into making consumer solar two times more expensive than it is today. The utilities’ proposal would put solar out of reach for most working and middle class people, just when recent studies show they make up nearly 50% of …
This year, PG&E customers will get hit with a whopping 8% rate increase. That’s over six times the rate of inflation in one year alone. Not including this year’s budget-busting rate spike, PG&E rates have steadily increased 140% since 2000, nearly three times the rate of inflation (52%) over the last twenty years. Link to data The utilities’ favorite scapegoat: …
HGTV Property Brothers’ Jonathan Scott recently made his directorial debut in the documentary Power Trip. Power Trip follows Scott as he travels through the United States uncovering a deeply entrenched, powerful system that’s preventing Americans from powering their lives with solar. Scott told the LA Times in a recent interview that at least one utility tried to pull his movie …