{"id":5976,"date":"2019-02-21T13:06:41","date_gmt":"2019-02-21T13:06:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.portal.solar.com\/learn\/what-is-california-solar-bill-of-rights\/"},"modified":"2022-11-03T19:58:55","modified_gmt":"2022-11-03T19:58:55","slug":"what-is-california-solar-bill-of-rights","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.solar.com\/learn\/what-is-california-solar-bill-of-rights\/","title":{"rendered":"What is California’s Solar Bill of Rights? Here’s Everything You Need to Know"},"content":{"rendered":"

California state leaders keep proving again and again that the Golden State is the best state for solar and clean energy innovation.<\/p>\n

First, state regulators\u00a0required all new homes built in 2020 onward to have solar panels<\/a>. Then, former Governor Brown signed SB-100, setting the state’s clean energy goal to 100% by 2045<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Now, a new bipartisan bill has been proposed by State Senators\u00a0Scott Wiener<\/a> (D – San Francisco) and Jim Nielsen<\/a> (R – Fresno): S-288 – the Solar Bill of Rights<\/a>.<\/p>\n

This “Solar Bill of Rights” is as great as it sounds.<\/p>\n

There are 3 big ways this would be a game-changer for residential and commercial solar in California:<\/p>\n

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  1. No unfair fees.<\/strong> Solar owners\u00a0would be guaranteed fundamental rights to self-generate and store renewable energy without discriminatory utility fees.<\/li>\n
  2. Faster processing.<\/strong> All California utilities would be required to follow a state-mandated, streamlined process for connecting new solar arrays to the grid.<\/li>\n
  3. Better compensation.\u00a0<\/strong>Home batteries (like Tesla’s Powerwall) would receive fair compensation from the utility for\u00a0exporting power to the grid and improving\u00a0community resiliency.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    These developments would be implemented and enforced by the California Public Utilities Commission and the California Energy Commission. If passed, the implementation timeline is as follows:<\/p>\n

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    • June 1, 2020:<\/strong> The commission begins submitting annual reports on each utility performance connecting new solar and battery systems to their grid.<\/li>\n
    • January 1, 2021:<\/strong> The commission creates the\u00a0compensation structures where\u00a0home battery owners are incentivized to export stored electricity to the grid.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

      There did not appear to be a clear timeline for when a new, streamlined process for interconnection (also known as Permission To Operate or PTO) requests would be implemented.<\/p>\n

      Watch the California Senate Democrats live stream of SB288’s announcement:<\/p>\n