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Despite downturn, solar is on the rise
California is on track to a Million Solar Roofs
en years ago, there were only 500 solar roofs in California. Today, that number was has grown to 50,000. If we keep pace, by 2017, we will reach our goal of 1 million solar roofs. This number of solar panels will generate more electricity than six coal plants (without the pollution) and more than 21,000 jobs.
Falling costs for solar panels, and incentives—including the Million Solar Roofs rebate program established by SB1, a bill sponsored by Environment California—have helped Californians go solar, cutting their pollution and energy bills.
The changing face of solar
Solar power is taking hold in both rural and urban areas, by businesses as well as homeowners, according to a recent report by Environment California Research & Policy Center, “California’s Solar Cities: Leading the Way to a Clean Energy Future.” For example: The city of Fresno has more solar than San Francisco, and Bakersfield uses the sun more than Los Angeles. San Diego is the state’s number one place for solar power.
“We invested in solar power because it just made sense,” Cameron Moors, a businessman in Fresno who had a system installed by Real Goods Solar. “We use the sun to grow crops, why not use it to generate electricity?”
Keep solar growing
The biggest barriers to solar power’s continued expansion are the upfront cost of installation, and utilities taking and reselling power from solar customers without paying a fair rate for it.
Moving ahead, Environment California is working with cities across the state to create financing programs for homes that want to go solar. The idea is to have cities finance 100 percent of the installation costs and then recoup that money through increased property taxes over the next 10 or so years.
Environment California worked with the Legislature to pass regulations to force utilities to fairly compensate solar customers who provide electricity to the grid.
If the governor signs these bills, there are even some solar homes and businesses that will begin to get checks instead of bills from the electric company.
