Community Solar for California

In this episode - Community Solar for California . . .

While California is one of the leading U.S. states in solar deployment, CA. has lagged behind in providing community solar access.

As of September 1, 2022, the California State Legislature passed AB 2316, the Community Renewable Energy Act, a bill that creates a community renewable energy program, including community solar-plus-storage, to overcome access barriers for nearly half of Californians who rent or have low incomes.

What is Community Solar?

The U.S. Department of Energy defines community solar as any solar project within a geographic area in which the benefits of a solar project flow to multiple customers such as individuals, businesses, nonprofits, and other groups. In most cases, customers benefit from energy generated by solar panels at an off-site array location.

Community solar customers can either buy or lease a portion of the solar panels in the array. They typically receive an electric bill credit for electricity generated by their share of the community solar system—similar to someone with rooftop panels installed on their home.

Community solar can be an excellent option for people who are unable to install solar panels on their roof because they don't own their home, have sufficient solar resources or roof conditions to support a rooftop PV system due to shading, roof size, or other factors, and for financial reasons. You’ve probably noticed Community solar is rapidly growing across the country. The National Renewable Energy Laboratory tracks installation data on community solar. Click the link to see what States participate.

Nearly half of all Californians rent or have low incomes. The AB 2316 bill has directed the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) to create a community renewable energy program that prioritizes access for renters, low-income households, and those who cannot install on-site solar and storage.

This bill requires the CPUC to evaluate, consolidate or eliminate existing community solar programs that are not achieving their goals, enable community solar projects to comply with California's building code standards, and piggyback on the recently passed IRA initiative to drive solar deployment in the state.

The US$369 billion climate provisions act includes:

Extend the 30% Investment Tax Credit (ITC) for solar panels
Create a 30% tax credit for storage technology in projects that pay prevailing wages
Increase tax credits for projects focused on low-moderate income households – a 40% ITC for projects serving 50% low-moderate income (LMI) customers and a 50% ITC for projects serving 100% LMI customers.
Provide US$7 billion for states to create or expand distributed solar programs serving disadvantaged communities.
Avoid cost transfers to non-participants and maximize the state's ability to access federal funds under the IRA.

You may be wondering what the Benefits of Community Solar are.

Support renewable energy, reduce emissions, and accelerate the transition from fossil fuels.
Create local power projects that increase regional grid resiliency.
You save money on energy bills each month, with no up-front investment.

I'm Patrick Ball; thanks for listening. I'll see you in the next episode.

Comments

The Who Was - Series

In this episode, the Who Was? - Series . . . With over 250 titles, Penguin Random House Books Who Was? - Series tells the incredible stories of trailblazers, legends, innovators, and creators. Are you a bibliophile, an individual who loves and frequently reads books (a bookworm)? What is it that compels you to pick up a book? Is it the cover, is it the title, how about an interest in a specialized subject, or just - perhaps it's a whim? One of my ultimate goals with these podcasts is to reach a young audience. I've found that reading children's books is a gratifying and educational experience. Yes, even grown-ups can understand difficult concepts. To my surprise, both children and adults seem to appreciate the experience. With education such a hot topic in the news right now, we need to be reminded that whether it's going to school, visiting a museum, or online learning, the goal of education (both young and old) is to nurture an interest in learning. William Butler Ye

Big Apple, Big Charge

In this episode – Big Apple, Big Charge . . . Welcome back to On the Fly, your weekly dose of quirky observations and unexpected trends. Today, we're fresh off a trip to the Scaffolding/Plywood jungle, where we witnessed a phenomenon that will make you rethink your relationship with the humble wall socket. That's right, we're talking about New York City, and it's . . . wait for it — Free, ubiquitous electric outlets! New York constantly buzzes with traffic, jackhammers, honking horns, and helicopters. But what struck me most was the sheer volume of people glued to their devices while commuting and navigating the streets with hundreds of construction obstacles. It's like everyone's “plugged into” some invisible grid—phones, tablets, watches, headphones, earbuds, e-bikes—you name it. And that's where things get interesting. But, unlike our quiet suburban life, free outlets in NYC aren't exactly abundant. So, how do these New Yorkers keep their gadgets

What Time Is It

In this episode – What Time Is It . . . In the era before smartphones, let’s say we’re on a telephone call, and you ask me, “What time is it?” As a five-year-old, my reply is, "The big hand is on the two (2) and the little hand on the eight (8).” You would then say, "Alright, it's ten minutes after eight o’clock or eight-ten, right?" This is how we learned to tell time as children–remember? Well, what happened . . . During dinner last week in Westfield, NJ, a retired high school teacher told our group, “Did you know that children today cannot read the time on a traditional watch with an analog face?” “Why not?” we asked. “Because of smartphones and the proliferation of digital clocks.” “Wow! That’s hard to believe.” Welcome to this week's episode of "On the Fly." Today, we'll compare classic mechanical watches to modern quartz watches and explore an unexpected social shift. To begin with, let me take you back a few days. I’m a traditionalist and pre

It Runs on Steam

In this episode – It Runs on Steam . . . If you’ve seen Back to The Future III, you may remember Doc Brown's line, “It Runs on Steam !” Recently, I visited my good friend Billy in Westfield, New Jersey. Among his many other hobbies, Billy is a steam engine enthusiast. He proudly fired up his miniature steam engine and confidently explained its workings, which got me thinking . . . (Sound effect of Billy's steam engine whistle) Have you ever considered how environmentally friendly a steam engine powered by renewable energy could be? There would be no need for gasoline, batteries, diesel fuel, or Uranium-234. Imagine an engine powered by water—yes, water. I can hear the naysayers: "But . . .” Welcome back to On the Fly, where we dive into one of history's most fascinating inventions. Today, we're firing up a revolution – the Industrial Revolution, that is – with the mighty steam engine! For centuries, people relied on muscle, wind, and waterpower to get things do

On The Fly

Search This Blog