New legislation creates scramble for solar - KRCR

New legislation creates scramble for solar | KRCR

REDDING, Calif. — After April 15, PG&E customers will only be able to cover 75% of their power bill using solar power, but any installation in process before that cutoff is not affected.

Naturally, this has led to a rush on new solar projects, as well as DIY efforts to beat the clock. I spoke with several different solar providers who described phones ringing off the hook in recent weeks. To understand what your prospects are this close to the deadline and if it’s too late, I spoke with Horizon Solar.

“It’s not too late, actually, they still have a little bit of time left. Now, obviously the sooner the better for sure, because they do have to have a signed solar contract, we do have to get the paperwork started with PG&E in order to get grandfathered in under the existing regulations," explained Denita Coker, Horizon's marketing manager.

"If you're thinking about going solar at all, now is the time to contact companies and get the information and get in front of a representative from a company and see if it's going to be a good fit for you. If you're at all thinking about doing it, time is of the essence," she added.

Going through the process on your own requires permits and approvals, including submitting with PG&E at this link before 11:59 p.m. on April 14.

The reasons for the change in policy as described by the California Public Utilities Commission are as follows:
The current solar billing structure doesn’t encourage storage adoption, which is critical to achieving California’s 2045 renewable goals. With storage, solar customers can use their solar power after sunset. This reduces the need for fossil-fuel plants to meet peak power needs, which occur in the evenings when solar systems are not producing and demand on the grid is highest. When the original solar program [NEM] was launched 25 years ago, significant incentives were offered to encourage early adoption as a way to help offset the high cost of going solar. Despite the cost to install rooftop solar having decreased by 70% over the last 20 years, the high incentives to encourage adoption have not significantly changed. The updated solar program aims to continue to help customers enjoy bill savings while also aligning the incentives to reflect today’s market pricing.

Again that deadline is April 15. After that, all new projects will be subject to the 75% limit.

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