Inside Clean Energy: Unpacking California s Controversial New Rooftop Solar Proposal insideclimatenews.org - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from insideclimatenews.org Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Energy regulators in California on Monday, December 13, proposed sharp reductions in subsidies for residential solar customers. People from the solar industry have warned that such a move could [.]
(Reuters) -California on Monday proposed reducing the rate at which homeowners can sell excess electricity from their rooftop solar panels into the grid, weakening a policy that has underpinned dramatic growth in the renewable energy industry for years. The announcement by the California Public Utilities Commission triggered an outcry from the solar panel installation industry, whose backers have warned such proposals could darken the outlook for new projects and undermine the state’s efforts to combat climate change. The PUC justified the proposal, however, saying it would encourage the solar industry to accelerate battery storage technology so excess power can be held in reserve instead of sold, while undoing a policy it said amounted to a multi-billion dollar subsidy for wealthy homeowners at the expense of other utility ratepayers. Under the proposed reforms, Californians with new solar installations would see a discounted rate for power they sell into the grid and a monthly u