A More Electrified Future: Pasadena Water and Power customers can have a bigger solar panel system

Thanks to a recent decision by city council, Pasadena Water and Power customers can install solar power systems larger than before, moving the city towards what it calls “a more electrified future” in a news release. 

As of city council authorization on Sept. 9, Pasadena Water and Power customers are allowed to install solar power systems up to 150% of the customer’s maximum annual historical usage within the past five years. 

This means that customers can now install a solar system that can produce 1.5 times the amount of electricity that they used in their highest usage year over the past five years.

“Customer-installed solar power and battery storage play a key role in our journey to 100% carbon-free energy,” Pasadena Water and Power General Manager David Reyes said. “The community is enthusiastic about (Pasadena Water and Power’s) potential to be a leader in this space, and we are fully committed to promoting solar power and battery storage through incentives, programs and education.”

Furthermore, customer-installed solar power systems can exceed 150% when paired with a battery storage system or when a need is demonstrated.

All Pasadena Water and Power customers are eligible for solar installation. They must first obtain an initial review approval before applying for a building permit for a solar installation.

This is far from the city’s only initiative to improve the solar power installation process, one part of the wider effort by the city to reach 100% carbon-free energy by the end of 2030. Pasadena Water and Power simplified and digitized the account verification process, streamlined interconnection agreements and modified insurance requirements for systems under 15kW. Through these changes, Pasadena Water and Power is trying to make solar power more accessible.

The federal government’s clean energy credit for rooftop solar and battery storage ends on Dec. 31. To claim the credit, systems must be installed and ready to use in tax year 2025. 

Pasadena Water and Power is aligning programs with citywide infrastructure goals. Its future plans, according to a news release, include incentivizing energy storage, developing a low-interest loan program for low-income single-family homes, identifying more municipal properties suitable for solar systems and continuing to develop a robust education and outreach campaign.

Learn more about the city’s solar power initiatives at PWPweb.com/Solar.