It’s no accident that California is a solar energy leader. One big reason is a state incentive program that has turned about 10,000 rooftop solar installations 25 years ago into more than 1.2 million today.
Small arrays of panels on homes, businesses and other buildings now account for about 11% of the state’s electricity production capacity. Their proliferation is a cornerstone of the state’s efforts to combat climate change, phase out the burning of fossil fuels and get 100% of its electricity from renewable sources by 2045.
So it’s a bit of a head scratcher why Gov. Gavin Newsom’s administration is preparing to make it harder for Californians to go solar.