On The Fly

In this episode – Power For the People . . . People often ask me, "You work for a solar company; don’t you have solar on your home?” Nope! “With an astonished look, they exclaim, “Why not?” Here’s the short answer: "I monitor our yearly electricity consumption, which totals approximately 2,500 kWh.” For comparison, a Walmart Supercenter could use about 10,000 kWh daily on average. Okay, I get it. Most people might not be familiar with this terminology; they only care about how much they're billed monthly. Welcome back to On the Fly! Today, our virtual assistant, Professor Watts, will join us to discuss a program called Community Choice Aggregation, or CCA , that helps Californians choose a cleaner energy future with better rates. San Diego County is known for its beautiful beaches and vibrant community. Now, the cities of Solana Beach, Del Mar, Carlsbad, Escondido, Oceanside, San Marcos, and Vista are leading the way in sustainability thanks to their participation in a C...

In this episode – California Community Solar Update . . . Today, we're diving into the ongoing saga of Community Solar in California. As you might know, the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) has been grappling with how to regulate this growing sector. The program is poised to launch in July of 2024,   however . . .   Net Energy Metering (NEM 3) and the Rooftop Solar Impact: Let's rewind a bit. In December 2022, the CPUC issued a controversial decision called NEM 3. NEM stands for Net Energy Metering, and NEM 3 is the third iteration of this program. Here’s the big issue – NEM 3 significantly reduced the credit that rooftop solar users' received for feeding excess energy back to the grid. This decision primarily affects those who install solar panels after April 2023. While NEM 3 doesn't directly impact Community Solar, it's an important context because it highlights the CPUC's ongoing efforts to balance the economics of solar power. So what’s the Hol...