IOUs Pressure CPUC to Make Rooftop 2x More Expensive, Slash Value of Solar Exports by 77%

Californians point to blackouts, wildfires and rate increases as reason to expand access to solar, not penalize it

CALIFORNIA – California’s three investor-owned utilities, including the largest utility in the country, PG&E, have joined together to pressure a regulatory agency set up to protect consumers from dangerous, expensive, and unreliable energy into making consumer solar two times more expensive than it is today, while slashing the value of solar electricity sent back to the grid on hot summer days by 77%. The utilities’ proposal would put solar out of reach for most low- and middle-income consumers just when recent studies show they make up nearly 50% of today’s market.  

“California ratepayers have suffered deadly wildfires, repeated blackouts, and rising energy bills and now the utilities want the government to penalize them for adding solar to their roof all in the name of lowering energy bills. Californians simply aren’t buying it.” said Bernadette Del Chiaro, CALSSA Executive Director referring to a public opinion poll put out by her association yesterday. 

Under fire by the utilities is a program called net energy metering, or NEM, which allows consumers who have solar on their apartment building or school to generate energy onsite and send surplus electrons back to the grid in exchange for a simple bill credit. Utilities have long opposed net metering because it reduces the need to build more poles and wires to transport electrons from distant power plants, which in turn cuts into utility profits. Since 201, California’s investor-owned utilities charged ratepayers more than $20 billion in transmission line projects.

“Rooftop solar cuts down on the need to build expensive transmission lines which is why the utilities are always after us,” said Del Chiaro. “Solar roofs save everyone money, not to mention build a more resilient grid, but they cut into utility profits. Utilities are trying to blame their huge structural shortcomings on consumers and small businesses.” 

Utility proposals for modifying net metering program would make the following changes: 

• The highest solar fees in America, charging a typical residential consumer an unavoidable fee of $78 per month on average just to have solar on their roof.[1]  

• Non-residential customers would also be hit with huge fees. A typical school, for example, wanting to invest in solar would be charged an unavoidable $950 monthly fee in PG&E territory, $1,100 in Southern California Edison territory, and $3,400 per month in the San Diego area.[2]

• Reduces the credit consumers receive for surplus solar electricity sent back to the grid on hot summer days by 77%. This means that when a solar user shares electricity with their neighbor, the utility would charge the neighbor 25 cents while giving the solar user 5.7 cents in bill credits.   

• In addition to the new fees and cuts, the IOU proposal would also require monthly true ups, preventing consumers from carrying forward their unused credits from month to month. 

Roughly one in ten California ratepayers have solar, totaling more than a million consumers, including 150,000 CARE customers, and helping spur a burgeoning solar industry that supports thousands of small businesses and over 70,000 jobs. The California Energy Commission estimates California will need five times as much solar to meet its clean energy goals and help fight climate change. CALSSA contends that the utility proposals would stall out one of the bright spots in the California economy as small businesses and consumers struggle to recover from Covid-19. 

CALSSA is part of a growing coalition of consumer, environmental, and community groups standing up for consumer choice and local solar energy. The group has a website www.SaveCaliforniaSolar.org. Yesterday, CALSSA and the Solar Rights Alliance put out a public opinion poll showing utility company efforts to roll back net metering are highly unpopular among California voters. Instead, the poll showed strong support for net metering across parties, and a bipartisan desire for California leaders to do more to encourage the growth of rooftop solar power. Over 11,000 people have signed a petition to Governor Gavin Newsom and the CPUC to urge them to protect consumer solar. 

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[1] $56 per month in SCE; $86 per month for PG&E; and $91 per month for SDG&E for a typical 6 kilowatt system. 

[2] Based on a 250 kilowatt system

CALSSA Fights for Small Businesses, Consumer Choice in State Decision on Rooftop Solar Program

Solar industry group calls for continuation of net metering with gradual evolutionary changes that support continued growth of rooftop solar, grow energy storage, and save hundreds of small businesses, thousands of jobs

CALIFORNIA – California’s oldest and largest clean energy business group, the California Solar and Storage Association (CALSSA), is going up against the state’s three investor-owned utilities over the future of California’s rooftop solar market. The battle is unfolding at the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) in a regulatory decision that will make or break California’s continued leadership in encouraging consumer solar at homes, apartments, schools and farms. Proposals for changes to net energy metering (NEM) were submitted today.  

“California is a solar state, but the utilities want to own the sun and keep it out of the hands of everyday people,” said Bernadette Del Chiaro, CALSSA Executive Director. “Their need to increase profits cuts against the consumer’s right to choose where and how to generate clean, reliable energy where we live, work, and play.” 

CALSSA’s proposal for how the state’s foundational net metering program should evolve over the next ten years seeks to put rooftop solar in the hands of millions more consumers, including an increasing number of low-income ratepayers, while building a million solar-charged batteries. The industry association, which took on the utilities in 2016 during the last regulatory challenge to NEM, is urging the commission to prioritize consumer choice, energy reliability, grid costs, and the protection of small businesses which make up more than two-thirds of California’s solar market. 

“California’s solar industry is dominated by small businesses that work to bring clean, reliable and affordable energy to middle- and working-class consumers from Clovis to Chula Vista,” said Del Chiaro. “Our 600-member strong organization is made up of hundreds of women-owned, minority-owned, employee-owned, and family-owned businesses that make up the backbone of California’s solar industry. 

The state’s investor-owned utilities, in contrast, are some of the largest shareholder corporations in the state posting $20 billion in profits since 2012. The largest source of profits are utility investments in high-voltage transmission lines that carry electrons from power plants located hundreds of miles away from where people use energy. In a recent En Banc at the CPUC, it was revealed that the utilities have charged ratepayers $20 billion in transmission projects, nearly half of which were “self-approved” and that this year’s $4 billion transmission bill to ratepayers is a 38% increase over 2016.   

“Rooftop solar helps cut down on the need to build these expensive transmission lines which is why the utilities are always after us,” said Del Chiaro. “Solar roofs save everyone money by reducing the need to pave over the desert with power plants and build the wires to carry those electrons to our homes and businesses. Those savings work well for ratepayers but cut against utility profit.” 

CALSSA is part of a growing coalition of consumer, environmental, and community groups standing up for consumer choice and local solar energy. The group has a website www.SaveCaliforniaSolar.org. Earlier, today CALSSA and the Solar Rights Alliance put out a public opinion poll showing utility company efforts to roll back net metering are highly unpopular among California voters. Instead, the poll showed strong support for net metering across parties, and a bipartisan desire for California leaders to do more to encourage the growth of rooftop solar power. 

California is the nucleus for DERs and DER-related policies.  It has grown not only world-class DER companies and global leaders that continue to be policy ambassadors to states across the country, and countries around the world, but also hundreds of small and mid-sized “Main Street” solar and solar-related businesses.  The modifications to NEM adopted in this proceeding will affect these smaller companies the most, as well as the 74,000 Californians currently working in the solar industry.

“The solar industry is made up of small businesses who work hard to bring reliable, affordable energy to everyday consumers. The utilities’ anti-NEM proposals will kill our businesses and the quality jobs we create.” 

– Jose Luis Contreras, Solare Energy, San Diego, CA

“Rooftop solar delivers clean, reliable power for millions of people but the utilities want to slow us down, just as California’s solar energy industry is taking off.” 

- Deep Patel, Gigawatt Inc., Orange County, CA

“As an employee-owned solar business coming out of Covid-19, we are just starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel and big utility companies want to recover their monopolistic hold on energy production. Net energy metering is absolutely crucial to growing local jobs.” 

– Vincent Battaglia, Renova Energy, Palm Desert, CA

“My county has the highest poverty rate in the state. For my customers, the ability to lower their monthly electric bills through a NEM credit provides crucial help to working families.

– Jack Ramsey, Altsys Solar Inc., Tulare, CA

“The solar industry has a long tail of small businesses focused on empowering their customers and communities to create their own clean energy. When NEM policies have been reduced or eliminated the effects on the solar industry, and its customers, have been swift and negative.”

- Micah Breeden, Allterra Solar, Santa Cruz, CA 

“I can’t compete with PG&E’s PR machine. I get up every morning and run the best solar company I can. I just hope our politicians see through the utility smokescreen and pay attention to those of us on the ground building solar energy for real people.” 

– Sheryl Lane, Earth Electric, Campbell, CA

“It’s inconceivable that we are considering another economic shift from homeowners and small businesses to a twice bankrupt and criminal utility who already has a guaranteed 10% rate of return — and who just raised electric rates by 11% this year.” 

– Barry Cinnamon, Cinnamon Energy Solutions, Campbell, CA

"Utilities claim rooftop solar takes money from those least able to pay and should be stopped. Utilities should work with, not against, the hundreds of solar businesses across California to get solar energy and batteries to more people. That will create more local jobs and build more wealth and resiliency in our communities." 

– Jeanine Cotter, Luminalt Energy, San Francisco, CA

“We build rooftop solar and storage systems for the people of Sonoma County hit hard by PG&E’s wildfires and high rates. Both of  my sons have also started their own local solar company. PG&E’s proposal to gut net metering will hurt my whole family and is just wrong.” 

– Jeff Mathias, Synergy Solar & Electrical Systems, Sebastopol, CA

“Amidst blackouts and wildfires, PG&E has some nerve to propose that California turn the lights out on rooftop solar, destroying tens of thousands of clean energy jobs.”

– Ed Murray, Aztec Solar, Rancho Cordova, CA

New Poll Shows Utility Efforts to Roll Back Net Metering Are Very Unpopular with California Voters

Voters support net metering and want to encourage more rooftop solar power in California; oppose utility efforts to roll back net metering policy

A new poll released today by the California Solar & Storage Association (CALSSA) and the Solar Rights Alliance shows utility company efforts to roll back net metering are highly unpopular among California voters. Instead, the poll showed strong support for net metering across parties, and a bipartisan desire for California leaders to do more to encourage the growth of rooftop solar power.

The poll was conducted as the California Public Utilities Commission prepares to reconsider the credit rooftop solar consumers receive for the excess energy they produce, among other changes. Net metering helps make solar more affordable for consumers and is a reason why 50 percent of the rooftop solar market is currently in working class and middle class neighborhoods. 

A super-majority of 80 percent of voters across parties support net metering when provided a neutral statement on the program. 71 percent of voters want to see California do more to encourage and expand rooftop solar across the state, and another 14 percent want the state to at least maintain its current commitment.

“California is a solar state thanks to overwhelming support from voters,” said Bernadette Del Chiaro, Executive Director, CALSSA. “Voters want California to actively expand and encourage rooftop solar, not allow utilities to undermine consumer choice.”

Not surprisingly, 64 percent of voters oppose utility proposals to reduce the credit that people who have rooftop solar receive from their local utility for any extra electricity that their rooftop solar generates and feeds back to the grid, with just 25 percent supporting the utility effort.

Voters are not buying an ongoing campaign by utility special interests to blame solar users for energy rate hikes. That reason is supported by just 13 percent of voters and the lowest of all options provided including the costs of building new electric transmission lines (21 percent), grid maintenance (25 percent), managing wildfire danger (38 percent), and utility companies seeking to maintain or boost their profits (56 percent).

“Half of California’s rooftop solar is found in working and middle-class neighborhoods,” said Dave Rosenfeld, Executive Director, Solar Rights Alliance. “Net metering is helping bring costs down and making it possible for more families to access the savings, resilience and other benefits of solar power while also moving California closer to our clean energy goals. Voters of all backgrounds want to continue that progress. They know the utilities do not have their best interests in mind.”

When provided the perspectives of rooftop solar advocates versus utility interests, nearly three in four voters sided with solar:

The poll was conducted by Benenson Strategy Group and included 811 interviews with likely 2022 voters in California from February 22-26, 2021. Interviews were conducted using SMS text to web services, on landline phones, and from online web panels. The sample was weighted to ensure it was proportionally representative of registered voters in the district. The margin of error is ±3.46% at the 95% confidence level and is higher among subgroups and questions that were split or not asked of all.

A summary memo of the poll is available here. To speak with the pollsters or representatives from the California Solar & Storage Association and the Solar Rights Alliance please contact Jacob Hay at 310-855-2640 or jhay@wearerally.com.

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The California Solar & Storage Association (CALSSA) has advanced the common interest of the solar and storage industry for over 40 years, making California the most robust market in the U.S. The association is the state’s largest clean energy business group with over 600 member companies, primarily small businesses based in communities throughout the state, that manufacture, design, install, finance and provide other resources to the growing local solar and storage market in California. Learn more at www.calssa.org

Solar Rights Alliance is the nonprofit association of California solar users. We believe everyone has the right to make energy from the sun without unreasonable interference by the utilities. We keep track of what politicians, regulators and utilities are up to, and alert the public when there is a threat to rooftop solar, or an opportunity to help more Californians access rooftop solar. Learn more at www.solarrights.org

Benenson Strategy Group (BSG) is a premier consulting and strategic research firm that advises political leaders, global corporations and institutions in the most dynamic, competitive scenarios. We use innovative techniques that probe deeply on core beliefs, attitudes, and emotions and provide actionable recommendations for our clients to deliver a message that breaks through the clutter and reaches its intended audience. For more information, please visit www.bsgco.com

CALSSA’s 2nd Annual Virtual Product Expo Series Returns the Week of March 22!

The California Solar & Storage Association (CALSSA) is bringing back its popular, no-nonsense approach to online expos. Product Expo Week, which is free to attend, will be held each day from 1 to 2:30 pacific time, over one week – March 22-26. The week features a series of daily hour and a half high-quality virtual events designed to quickly bring you up to speed on the latest and most exciting solar & storage product offerings from start-ups to established brands.

Large in person events in 2021 remain a big question mark. With this series, solar and storage workers can ensure their businesses are in the know on the latest technologies and offerings all without spending a penny or traveling across the country.

CALSSA’s Product Expo Series mimics the conversations you’d have on the trade show floor without leaving your desk. The series is designed to give attendees exposure to each company’s latest and greatest in a short period of time while keeping the experience simple, no-nonsense, free and accessible.

“CALSSA’s Product Expo Series makes the case for skipping trade shows. It is a model to inspire all convention organizers who are looking to evolve. I was wowed by how tightly they ran those sessions. The effectiveness of the process came from how well prepared the interviewers and presenters were, and the unapologetic pace they kept... like network television. It was a productive, gimmick-free, informative series.” Said Philippe Hartley, Managing Director at Clean Financing LLC, after attending last year’s expo.

Each day will feature a mix of eight different companies from varying market segments for a rapid response Q+A with industry experts Jennifer Alfsen of Mayfield Renewables and Jeff Spies of Planet Plan Sets. Following the event, attendees will have an opportunity to ask questions in private chat rooms for each company. The series is free for everyone. You can find out more information on their website: calssa.org/product-expo-series

The entire series is sponsored by CED Greentech and Capital One and features speakers from forty companies in a wide variety of market segment.

The current line-up and schedule is below. Learn more here. 

SESSION 1: Mon, March 22 

• JinkoSolar

• LG Electronics

• IronRidge

• Invinity Energy Systems

• Mosaic

• QuickBOLT

• Koben Systems Inc.

• Enphase Energy

 SESSION 2: Tues, March 23 

• Span

• LG Energy Solution

• Pegasus Solar

• Fimer

• PowerTree

• Energy Toolbase

• SMA America

• Socomec

 SESSION 3: Wed, March 24 

• EagleView

• Electriq Power

• Aurora Solar

• Lumin

• Roof Tech Inc.

• Jacana Warranty

• Ivy Energy

• LONGI Solar

 SESSION 4: Thurs, March 25 

• Blue Planet Energy

• Fortress Power

• Discover Battery

• SunModo

• Panasonic

• Mission Solar Energy

• Schneider Electric

• Sonnen Inc.

 SESSION 5: Fri, March 26 

• SimpliPhi Power

• Yotta Energy

• Solaria

• RST Cleantech USA

• PACEFunding

• SolarEdge

• Ginlong Technologies

• Tamarack Solar Products

CALSSA Welcomes New Board Members

Three Outstanding Individuals To Help Lead California’s Largest Clean Energy Business Group

The California Solar & Storage Association (CALSSA), California’s oldest and largest clean energy business group, announces the addition of three industry leaders to serve on its board of directors.

The three new board members are: 

• Samuel Adeyemo, co-founder and COO of Aurora Solar, a leading solar design and sales software provider.

• Martin Herzfeld, Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC) Certified Master Trainer for Photovoltaics (PV), California Licensed Solar (C46) and Electrical Contractor (C10), Instrumentation (C7), OSHA-Authorized Construction Safety Trainer, and Third-Party Technical Inspector with 15 years of industry experience. 

• Adam Gerza, VP of Business Development at Energy Toolbase, an industry leading software platform.

“We are extremely pleased to welcome these three outstanding industry leaders to our board,” said CALSSA Executive Director Bernadette Del Chiaro. “We will benefit tremendously from their insights and expertise as we continue our work to strengthen and grow the California local solar and storage market.”

Mr. Adeyemo, Mr. Hertzfeld, and Mr. Gerza join a board of fifteen led by Board President Ed Murray of Aztec Solar, along with Vice President Jeanine Cotter of Luminalt, Secretary Benjamin Airth of the Center for Sustainable Energy, and Treasurer Walker Wright of Sunrun. 

Other CALSSA board members are: 

• Yann Brandt, SolarWakeUp

• Rick Reed, SunEarth

• Rich Borba, JKB Energy

• Jeff Spies, Planet Plan Sets

• Howard Wenger, Solaria

• Gary Gerber, Sun Light & Power

• Erica Dahl, Vivint (formerly)

• Catherine Von Burg, SimpliPhi 
   

“The educational, policy and advocacy work that CALSSA does is critical and far-reaching,” said Samuel Adeyemo of Aurora Solar. “I am excited to help CALSSA make solar and storage ubiquitous in California.”

“I'm looking forward to advancing the solar and energy storage industry together, educating policy makers together, and making wise decisions together for the environment to accomplish CALSSA’s mission,” stated Martin Herzfeld.

“I’m honored to re-join the CALSSA Board and to continue fighting for policies that create a strong and growing distributed generation solar + storage market in California,” said Adam Gerza of Energy Toolbase.

CALSSA thanks all its board members, past and present, and it’s nearly 600 business members who help make the association one of the strongest and most effective organizations building a clean energy future in California.

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About CALSSA

The California Solar & Storage Association (CALSSA) has advanced the common interest of the solar and storage industry for over 40 years, making California the most robust market in the U.S. The association is the state’s largest clean energy business group with over 600 member companies representing an array of businesses that manufacture, design, install, finance and provide other resources to the growing local solar and storage market in California.

New Study Documents Superior Performance of Solar Water Heating

Research Shows Solar Thermal Is Essential for Electrification of Water Heating

Sacramento—A new study from Flagstaff Research commissioned by the California Solar & Storage Association (CALSSA) finds that solar water heating with electric backup can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 90% compared to traditional gas tank water heaters. This surpasses the performance of heat pump water heaters, which reduce emissions by 81% on average across California climate zones.

For multifamily properties, solar water heating produces more than twice as much bill savings as heat pumps. For residential systems, solar water heating systems reduce monthly bills while heat pumps increase them.  

“Solar water heating is a proven technology that fits perfectly with California’s future of all-electric housing and carbon-free energy,” said CALSSA Policy Director Brad Heavner.

California policy makers are intent on electrification of water heating. CALSSA produced this research to demonstrate that solar water heating needs to be part of that effort. In California to date, the majority of solar water heaters installed have used gas backup heaters, but solar water heaters are also very effective when used with electric backup heaters. Solar water heating can be used both for fuel switching from gas to electric and to significantly increase the efficiency of existing water heating.

State agencies are implementing two new programs for water heating electrification. The Building Initiative for Low Emissions Development (BUILD) program targets new construction and will be run by the California Energy Commission (CEC). The Technology and Equipment for Clean Heating (TECH) program will address retrofits and will by run by the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC). In addition, CEC aims to use Title 24 building standards to encourage the construction of all electric housing. Because heat pumps increase energy costs for homeowners, solar water heating is often a better option.

Flagstaff Research evaluated thirteen water heating technology configurations for cost and performance using detailed simulation models for customer behavior and real world conditions in every region of the state.

Heat pumps are only efficient if they can heat water slowly. Because customers expect hot water to be recharged quickly, heat pumps make heavy use of electric resistance elements. This results in significant electricity usage during TOU peak periods, which increases costs and emissions. Solar water heating systems, in contrast, can almost entirely avoid reliance on electricity during peak periods.

“Heating water is one of the largest sources of greenhouse gas emissions in buildings, and solar water heating can eliminate most of those emissions without adding to electricity consumption during hours when the electric grid is already strained,” said Flagstaff Research Principal Josh Plaisted.

CALSSA makes the following recommendations.

• CEC and CPUC should proceed quickly to implement programs for water heating electrification. Those programs should have a strong focus on solar water heating.

• CEC should incorporate the new research to ensure that appropriate credit under Title 24 building standards is given to homebuilders that install solar water heating.

CALSSA Releases New Report Showing Job Creation, Clean Energy and Energy Resilience Benefits from Local Solar and Storage Investments

Sacramento, CA —The California Solar and Storage Association (CALSSA) released a new report “Shovel Ready for Recovery: A Blueprint for Jobs and Economic Recovery Through Local Solar and Storage Investments,” highlighting the job creation, clean energy, and energy resiliency benefits from local solar and storage investments as outlined in CALSSA’s ten-point plan of action. The report is available for download here.

California’s local solar and storage industry is helping the state move to clean, renewable energy while also helping keep the lights on for everyday consumers and businesses. Today one million solar systems located at schools, farms, businesses, homes, and low-income apartment buildings throughout California produce nearly 13 billion kilowatt hours (kWh) of clean energy each year, avoiding 5 million metric tons of CO2 annually. Attached to a growing number of these solar systems are more than 30,000 energy storage systems, or batteries, connected to the grid and providing 1 million kwh of storage capacity. Local solar and energy storage projects are job intensive. 

The industry sustains tens of thousands of local jobs, and billions of dollars in economic activity within the state. Sixty full-time jobs are supported by every megawatt (MW) of local solar energy built, and California built 1,200 MW of local solar in 2019. 

“As California looks for ways to bounce back economically from the Covid-19 pandemic, solar energy can boost jobs, lower customers' utility bills, and help make the grid more resilient to wildfires and other extreme weather events,” said Ethan Elkind, Director, Climate Program, Center for Law, Energy & the Environment at University of California, Berkeley. “The fuel from the sun is free and clean, so the upfront costs means more jobs and less pollution.” 

COVID-19 and the resulting economy-wide shutdowns across the state brought a burgeoning distributed solar and storage industry to a temporary halt. The small and medium-sized businesses that make up the majority of the industry as well as the large manufacturers and national aggregators are regaining their footing as customer activity returns. With the right policies and investments California can bring a resilient solar and storage industry back stronger than ever to advance California’s clean energy goals, create local jobs, build a more reliable energy grid, and give consumers choice and control over their energy decisions. 

CALSSA’s ten-point plan of action calls for state leaders to: 

1. Launch One Million Solar-Charged Batteries Initiative

2. Launch Resilient Schools Initiative

3. Protect and Expand Net Energy Metering Policies

4. Cut Red Tape Through Automated Permitting and Virtual Inspections

5. Allow Customer Batteries to Help During Grid Emergencies

6. Unleash Power of Existing Ratepayer Storage & Equity Programs

7. Remove Utility Barriers for Connecting Solar & Storage Systems

8. Increase Efforts to Reduce Natural Gas Usage in Buildings Through Solar Hot Water Technologies

9. Expand and Extend the Federal Investment Tax Credit

10. Protect Clean Energy Investments from Unnecessary Local Taxes

Acting on the CALSSA’s ten-point plan of action would add an estimated 250,000 solar job-years and nearly 50,000 additional storage-related job-years - jobs that are inherently local to the communities in which workers live. It would bring an estimated $1.6 billion in residential energy savings and $2.4 billion in non-residential energy savings per year. California would add nearly 16 million MWh in solar energy every year to California’s energy portfolio and avoid an annual total of 12 million metric tons of carbon dioxide. 

“A commitment to expanding distributed solar energy and battery storage in California is a no-regrets investment that offers a lasting legacy,” said CALSSA Executive Director Bernadette Del Chiaro. “The benefits of solar and energy storage technologies are shared throughout the state in terms of local jobs, community savings, and economic opportunities.” 

During a virtual briefing, industry leaders and energy experts discussed the report’s findings and the benefits of state incentives that expand local solar and storage in contributing to California’s economic recovery while meeting the state’s clean energy needs.

"In 2019, our partnership with Grid Alternatives helped 238 low-income families save over $5.6 million in energy savings thanks to rooftop solar,” said Devin Hampton, CEO of UtilityAPI. “We are saving consumers’ money during the economic downturn.”

"Distributed energy storage solutions will continue to be increasingly viable and resilient options for consumers in light of a distributed workforce,” said Catherine Von Burg, CEO of SimpliPhi Power, a California-based manufacturer. “Our sales are up 40% due to an increased demand for energy storage, helping us create new jobs every week."

"We started off CED Greentech with 4 employees, and we now have 12 employees,” said Troy Carroll, Operations Manager at CED Greentech Bakersfield. “Half of our employees have transitioned from oil to solar, which is testament both to how large the Central Valley market is, but also how solar and storage are becoming increasingly affordable, and convenient."

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100% Zero Pollution Cars Mandate Requires a Different Approach to Energy; Fuel Sources Need to be Local, Reliable & Clean

Sacramento, CA – The California Solar and Storage Association released the following statement today from Executive Director Bernadette Del Chiaro on Governor Newsom’s zero emissions executive order: 

Governor Newsom signed an Executive Order today mandating that all new cars and trucks sold in California have zero emissions by 2035. Given the fact that electric charged batteries are the primary fuel for emission-free vehicles today and are likely to remain the predominant fuel in the future, this executive order would increase California’s electricity needs 25% over the next fifteen years, adding 72 terawatt hours of demand by 2035. Such an increase in demand on the state’s already stressed electric grid adds urgency and importance to making the state’s energy supplies safer, more affordable, and more reliable. The blackouts of the past four weeks, and the wildfires and electricity shut offs of the past few years, make plain the need to rethink California’s approach to energy.   

To bring California consumers safe, affordable, and reliable electricity to power our increasingly decarbonized buildings as well as millions of cars and trucks over the next fifteen years, California must simultaneously build-out local clean energy resources such as distributed solar and energy storage systems in and around where people live, work, and fuel their cars. California would serve itself and its climate goals well if it aimed to cover at least 50% of the increased electricity load resulting from this order with distributed energy resources, including building a million grid-tied solar-charged batteries in the next ten years. 

Given the role that high-voltage power lines have played in sparking catastrophic wildfires, as well as their environmental footprint and huge ratepayer price tag to build and maintain, California cannot get to 100% by relying solely on a supersized grid. California must prioritize building local energy resources steadily and deliberately over the next ten years if we hope to succeed in the fight against climate change. Over the past several years, the build out of clean, local solar and energy storage systems, of which there are 1.2 million solar roofs and 30,000 batteries, saved ratepayers $3 billion in avoided transmission costs according to CAISO. 

Future actions by Governor Newsom, in coordination with today’s Executive Order, should prioritize the following five actions:

1. Launch the One Million Batteries Initiative by 2030 to create economies of scale for energy storage devices and keep the lights on for everyday California homes and businesses in the face of ongoing blackouts and wildfires. 

2. Launch a statewide Virtual Power Plants policy to tie those million batteries together into clean distributed power plants powerful enough to avoid California-sized blackouts like what occurred in mid-August.  

3. Supercharge the state’s efforts to cut red tape and costs for consumers by streamlining and standardizing the construction of those million solar batteries across all building departments throughout the state, speeding up the deployment of safe, reliable, local energy. 

4. Equip 1,000 K-12 schools with onsite solar and energy storage systems to provide backup power in emergencies and save money year-round. 

5. Maintain existing policies and programs designed to build a sustainable local clean energy market in California such as net energy metering and building codes around homes and businesses. 

New Project Will Tackle Barriers to Energy Storage Interconnection

Energy storage technologies have a crucial role to play in enabling the transition to a low-carbon economy. Despite significant growth of the energy storage market in recent years, the process of connecting this technology to the electricity grid remains complex and unclear in many states across the U.S. A new project, supported by a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Energy Technologies Office, aims to simplify the interconnection process for energy storage.

The project team, led by the Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC), will identify and develop solutions to regulatory and technical barriers in the interconnection process of standalone energy storage and solar-plus-storage projects. From there, the team will create a nationally applicable toolkit of solutions that apply to diverse states and markets. Extensive training and educational outreach will drive adoption of the resulting solutions in a majority of states. Ultimately, the project aims to reduce the costs and time to process interconnection applications and interconnect energy storage and solar-plus-storage systems safely to the distribution grid.

In addition to IREC, the project team includes the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI), the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA), the Energy Storage Association (ESA), the California Solar & Storage Association (CALSSA), utilities New Hampshire Electric Cooperative Inc. (NHEC) and PacifiCorp, and law firm Shute, Mihaly & Weinberger, LLP (SMW).

“In many states, if you propose a system with solar-plus-storage, the rules about how to interconnect to the grid are not at all clear,” explained Larry Sherwood, IREC President and CEO. “That creates a lot of uncertainty for developers, which increases costs and may scare them away from certain markets.

As a result, the full benefits of storage are not realized. Establishing best practices for the interconnection of storage to the grid is critical to sustaining market growth and enabling significant clean energy deployment.”

“Standalone energy storage and solar-plus-storage systems provide significant potential for increased grid reliability and resilience,” said Arshad Mansoor, President of EPRI. “We look forward to applying our technical expertise to help address grid interconnection challenges.”

“If we're able to more efficiently connect energy storage to the grid, costs will plummet, making solar-plus-storage systems more affordable and accessible to families and businesses,” said Justin

Baca, SEIA Vice President of Markets & Research. "This project will help us speed interconnection times and make it easier to connect solar-plus-storage systems of all sizes to the grid. By 2023, nearly one in four distributed generation solar systems could be paired with energy storage."

"Contractors and utilities all know there is a lot of growing up to do on the interconnection process for energy storage," said Brad Heavner, CALSSA Policy Director. "We are excited to collaborate with this team to work through these complex issues and develop and share clear recommendations."

“Developing the tools that stakeholders can use to reduce the time spent and cost incurred connecting storage projects to the grid will accelerate the safe and affordable deployment of energy storage and storage plus solar projects,” noted Marc Chupka, Vice President for Research and Programs at ESA. “We are pleased to contribute to this important project.”

“New Hampshire Electric Cooperative is pleased to participate in the important work of this study. Electric cooperatives serve a significant segment of the American population, under sometimes difficult circumstances,” said David Erickson, NHEC Director of Access and Distributed Resources. “We see this study as helping provide the tools to the cooperative community that make the benefits of storage and solar technologies accessible and affordable to our members.”

To learn more about this initiative, go here, or subscribe to updates.

New Eight Point Stimulus Plan to Support and Expand Local Solar and Storage Jobs in California

With abundant “shovel ready” projects and consumers eager to save on energy bills, solar and storage growth can be key to California’s economic recovery

California – The California Solar and Storage Association (CALSSA) released an eight point economic stimulus plan of action to bring the benefits of solar and storage to more consumers and support thousands of locals jobs.

In a recent industry survey 92 percent of solar and storage businesses pointed to negative impacts on their operations as a result of COVID-19. Businesses reported laying off or furloughing 21 percent of employees, indicating a loss of 15,600 solar and storage jobs in California during the first six weeks of the pandemic.     

At the same time, interest in a solar and storage from residential, government, and commercial consumers looking to save money and secure reliable clean energy remains high. Solar and storage companies in California reported a pipeline of projects and a general sense of optimism in the future if steps are taken now to support this emerging industry.

“Local solar and battery storage projects are the most ‘shovel-ready’ infrastructure projects around,” said Bernadette Del Chiaro, executive director of CALSSA. “Even though COVID19 dealt our industry a heavy blow, we are ready to put people back to work, open up new career opportunities to thousands more, and help grow our economy around clean energy.”

Recovery and growth of the state’s most promising clean energy marketplace will require that policy makers remove barriers and encourage consumer investment. Prior to the pandemic, the state’s local solar and storage industry supported more full-time jobs than the traditional fossil-fuel dependent utilities combined. CALSSA’s eight-point plan of action is aimed at helping to guide and inform policy making in the next six months with short and longer term steps including: 

1. Expand and Extend the Federal Investment Tax Credit

2. Launch Resilient Schools Initiative

3. Cut Red Tape Through “No Touch” Permitting

4. Launch One Million Solar-Charged Batteries Initiative

5. Unleash Power of Existing Ratepayer Storage & Equity Programs

6. Remove Utility Barriers for Connecting Solar & Storage Systems

7. Increase Efforts to Reduce Natural Gas Usage in Buildings

8. Protect Clean Energy Investments from Unnecessary Local Taxes

“Our solar and storage projects occur in every part of California bringing the promise of jobs and consumer savings to every part of the state including the Central Valley,” said Del Chiaro. “What’s more, our projects take anywhere from a few days to a few months to complete, can be done safely outdoors, and have the added value of making our communities more energy resilient to future disasters or planned electricity outages.” 

Details on CALSSA’s eight-point plan of action can be found here. To make interview arrangements with CALSSA representatives or local solar and storage businesses please contact Bernadette Del Chiaro at 916-765-3224, bernadette@calssa.org

15,000 Clean Energy Jobs Lost; 92% Local Businesses Harmed

New Data on Impacts of COVID-19 on California Solar and Storage Industry

California – The California solar and storage industry has been hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic forcing hundreds of local businesses to shed or furlough an estimated 15,000 clean energy jobs along with other measures to stay afloat. A new survey by the California Solar and Storage Association (CALSSA) details statewide impacts.  

“Our local businesses are suffering greatly due to COVID-19,” said Bernadette Del Chiaro, executive director of the California Solar and Storage Association (CALSSA), the state’s oldest and largest clean energy business group. “Unless immediate action is taken, the impacts could harm job growth and slow California’s transition to clean, resilient and reliable energy.”  

Highlights of the new survey results include:

• 92% of solar and storage businesses report being negatively impacted.

• Businesses report laying off or furloughing 21% of their employees, indicating a loss of 15,600 solar and storage jobs statewide in the past month and a half. 

• The impacts have been felt market-wide in the residential and non-residential markets.

The single greatest cause of the struggles is a slowdown in sales activity and customer engagement, which is particularly problematic given that solar and storage work typically ramps up in the spring after the rains pass. There is some indication that customer activity is ready to rebound. The second greatest challenge, however, came from local government and utility company slowdowns or barriers to solar and storage construction activity.  

Despite the impacts quantified in CALSSA’s survey, California’s solar and storage companies reported a pipeline of projects and a general sense of optimism in the future if steps are taken now to support this emerging industry. 

“Local solar and energy storage projects are the most “shovel-ready” investments the state can make to put people back to work and help grow our economy around clean energy,” said Del Chiaro. “Our projects take anywhere from a few days to a few months to complete, can be done safely outdoors, and have the added value of making our communities more resilient to future disasters.” 

CALSSA recommended a list of actions government can take to help put the solar and storage industry back to work including:

• California should set a goal of building a million solar-charged batteries. Similar to when California set a goal of building a million solar roofs, significant economic activity, job growth and consumer engagement would follow from the state’s direct engagement and the resulting policies designed to achieve the goal. 

• California should ensure local building departments have the resources they need to adopt online permitting portals and no-touch inspection practices. Many local governments have made great strides in online permitting to protect public health during the COVID-19 crisis. They can solidify this approach and expand on it by adopting the National Renewable Energy Lab’s SolarAPP, an advanced system that creates government efficiency in permitting.

• California should undertake a massive investment in clean energy infrastructure to boost the economy while making advancements to decarbonize our energy system and provide greater community-level resiliency. This could be funded through a combination of bond financing, tax credits, and program outlays. 

• Congress should provide direct payments of tax credits for the next 18 months and extend the safe harbor provisions and commence construction deadlines at credit levels currently in place for clean energy projects. These measures will keep projects moving and ensure companies do not lose a productive year as credits decline.

• California should protect solar and storage investments from unnecessary taxes at the local level. 

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California Celebrates Reaching One Million Solar Roofs Milestone; New Focus On “One Million Solar Batteries” Goal

Former Governors Arnold Schwarzenegger and Jerry Brown honored for solar leadership during celebration at Buchanan High School in Clovis

FRESNO, Calif. — Former Governors Arnold Schwarzenegger and Jerry Brown and other local elected officials joined local high school students, business leaders and workers, renewable energy advocates, and community leaders to celebrate achieving one million solar roofs across California. 

In 2006, then-Governor Schwarzenegger signed the Million Solar Roofs Initiative into law, which set a goal of building one million solar energy systems on homes, schools, farms, and businesses throughout the state. In 2019, the idea that once made international headlines for its “wow factor” is now a reality. 

“California is leading the way to a clean energy future,” said Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. “13 years ago, we set a huge goal: to build a million solar roofs in our state by 2019. Republicans and Democrats came together behind a policy that would be successful years after we all left office—it wouldn’t be ready for our re-election campaigns—because we understood that big, worthwhile goals were more important than politics. Today, we celebrate the vision and the hardworking Californians that made a million solar roofs a reality." 

As they celebrated the one million solar roofs milestone, solar advocates kept their focus on the future with a call for one million solar-charged batteries by 2025. With today’s batteries, homeowners and businesses can store solar energy for use after sundown or during a blackout. This smooths out prices, takes pressure off the electric grid, and gives consumers a degree of independence previously unheard of. 

“Governor Schwarzenegger had real vision when he set this audacious goal back in 2006 and it took real determination to achieve it,” said Governor Brown. “This is a major milestone, but don’t get too comfortable, we have a long way to go to decarbonize. Let’s get to work.”

The benefits of the Million Solar Roofs Initiative exceeded expectations. The initiative’s goal was to build 3 gigawatts (GW) of rooftop solar throughout the state. The program met its goal in 2015, ahead of schedule, and the market has continued to grow. Today, California consumers have installed nearly 9 gigawatts of local solar energy, three-fold the original goal, thanks to the successful transformation brought about by the Million Solar Roofs Initiative launched in 2006 with Senate Bill 1, authored by former state senator Kevin Murray (D-Culver City). 

“This shows policy makers and the public that with regard to climate change we can swing for the fences with a big idea and get the desired results,” said former Senator Kevin Murray, author of SB 1. 

Those 9 gigawatts of solar energy—the size equivalent of six large natural gas power plants—generate more than 13 billion kilowatt-hours of clean electricity each year avoiding 22 million tons of CO2, 16,000 tons of smog-forming pollutants, over 350 billion cubic feet of natural gas, and bypassing expensive and aging utility infrastructure. 

“Solar energy is one of the most impactful and tangible ways to solve climate change at scale and at speed,” said Dan Jacobson state director of Environment California. “As we strive to meet the state’s 100% clean energy goals, we need solar energy and energy storage technologies on every available rooftop and in every available garage. We are off to the races with today’s celebration of building a million solar roofs but there’s no time to lose.” 

The Million Solar Roofs Initiative was also the catalyst for significant job growth in an industry that supports hundreds of local small businesses and over 77,000 jobs—more people than employed in the state’s five largest utilities combined. Jobs are found in every region of the state from Kern County to Crescent City. 

“I am a Kern County local boy where growing up there were two job opportunities: farming and oil drilling,” said Troy Carroll, former oil industry worker now operations manager at CED Greentech, a solar equipment distribution company in Bakersfield. “A few years ago, facing the ups and downs of the oil business, I was looking for a more steady and promising job to support my four kids and keep me close to home. I found that job in solar. This is the future.” 

California’s sunny Central Valley is playing an outsized role in the state’s solar success story. Cities like Fresno, Bakersfield, Clovis, Visalia, Madera, Hanford, Tulare, Merced, and Porterville rank in the top tenth-percentile of California cities by the number of solar roofs—all of them outperforming their per-capita population rankings. Clovis, for example, is the state’s 60th most populous city but holds the 6th highest number of solar roofs at 10,259—more than San Francisco, Oakland, and Long Beach.

“We did it! We built a million solar homes, farms, and schools,“ said Bernadette Del Chiaro, Executive Director of the California Solar and Storage Association. “Not long ago, solar energy had a reputation of being only for backwoods hippies and Malibu millionaires, but thanks to the vision of our leaders, the ingenuity of our business community, and a million forward-thinking consumers, we’ve transformed solar into a mainstream energy resource where everyone from low-income renters in San Diego to farmers in the San Joaquin Valley are making it an everyday household appliance.” 

During the celebration, local high school students, solar workers, and environmental activists presented Governor Schwarzenegger with an award for his role as a champion for solar energy and climate activism. Governor Jerry Brown and Senator Kevin Murray were also presented with awards for their key roles in reaching this goal. Buchanan High School utilizes solar and storage for its operations and its Clean Energy Academy is educating the next generation of solar installers and designers. 

“We are excited to help celebrate a solar milestone in California by hosting the Million Solar Roofs event at Buchanan High School, one of our 42 locations in Clovis Unified benefiting from solar energy,” said Eimear O’Farrell, Ed.D., Superintendent of Clovis Unified School District. “Solar power is allowing our district to save millions in energy costs that can now be directly devoted to educating our students.” 

DIVERSE GROUP SOLAR SUPPORTERS REACT:

“I went solar to help lower my monthly utility costs. I see it as an investment for the future and an investment for my family. We as Californians should do our part in helping reduce our carbon footprint. The state government should help promote and enable our communities to transition to going solar. Global warming is a fact and every person in this great state can help promote and reduce the dependency on public utilities. Going solar is logical and it doesn't pollute, it uses the sun to help produce and harness free energy. Being a Veteran I feel that by going solar I'm still helping to protect the world that we share and live in.”

Ramos Torres, rooftop solar user in Madera Ranchos 

“There’s no question that California is leading the solar revolution. Today, over a million solar rooftop systems are powering our families, businesses, schools, farms and fire stations with sunshine. As we look ahead to the next million solar roofs, California must do more to ensure rooftop solar is accessible to everyone, by designing specific policies and incentive programs to ensure our disadvantaged and low-income communities realize the full health, economic and resilience benefits of solar energy.”

Susannah Churchill, California Director at Vote Solar

“In just over a decade, over a million Calfornians have harnessed the sun's energy to slash their energy bills and increase their personal freedom. Solar is unstoppable. The only question is this: are our current political leaders just as willing to stand up to the utility monopoly and enable millions more people to power their homes and workplaces with the sun?” 

Dave Rosenfeld of Solar Rights Alliance, a statewide association of solar users

“TerraVerde applauds the Clovis Unified School District Board and Administration for having the foresight and courage to be a solar leader in the Central Valley and K-12 schools across the State.” 

Rick Brown, Ph.D., Board Chair of TerraVerde, a consulting firm that works with schools and other government entities on how to invest in clean local energy like solar and energy storage 

“As a CSU Fresno alum, a native Angeleno, a former middle school teacher and legislator, I know firsthand about the severe health impacts of air pollution, extreme heat events and climate change. It is the time to join together to dramatically increase our investment and commitment to clean, renewable energy."

Former Senator Fran Pavley, author of California’s Global Warming 

“Millions of Californians are driving our transition to clean energy every day. Let’s help improve our century-old energy system by putting individuals and communities at the center of the solution with local, resilient energy choices like home solar and batteries.” 

Lynn Jurich, CEO at SunRun, the nation’s leading residential solar, storage and energy services company

“This great state has reason to celebrate today reaching 1 million solar rooftops, half the amount installed nationwide. As a leading choice among customers, SunPower is proud to enable the rapid growth of smart, renewable energy solutions and we look forward to meeting or beating the new goal of 1 million solar-charged batteries by 2025.”

Tom Werner, SunPower CEO and chairman of the board 

“Bold action and vision led to 1 million solar rooftops in California and continued leadership at the state level will help Californians achieve its resilience goals. This framework helped to build a local solar market that now supports more than 75,000 solar workers and $63 billion in private investment. In addition to advocacy on broad California solar policies, SEIA will continue to push for policies that make these types of milestones possible, including an extension to the 30% solar Investment Tax Credit and an end to the harmful solar tariffs.” 

Abigail Ross Hopper, president and CEO of the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA)

Governor Newsom Signs Bill to Protect Solar Energy from Unfair Taxes

AB 1208 (Ting) extends protections for rooftop solar from utility taxes

Sacramento, California – Yesterday, Governor Gavin Newsom signed into law financial protections for consumer investments in rooftop solar energy. The law, AB 1208 authored by Assemblymember Phil Ting (D-San Francisco), extends a prohibition on cities and counties taxing the energy generated by rooftop solar panels for use by homeowners and businesses.

“We applaud Governor Newsom and Assemblymember Ting for protecting consumers’ right to generate their own energy from the sun without unfair taxes,” said Bernadette Del Chiaro, Executive Director of the California Solar & Storage Association, sponsor of AB 1208. “Reducing costs, eliminating red tape, and encouraging consumers to go solar are all critical components of meeting California’s ambitious clean energy goals.”

Cities and counties generally speaking have the ability to tax utility services, such as electricity, as one potential source of local revenues. Since 2013, the energy generated by rooftop solar panels has been explicitly exempt from what is called the “Utility Users Tax” or “UUT.” That pre-existing exemption was set to expire December 31, 2019. AB 1208 extended it another 7 years.

“I’m proud to champion a bill that maintains California’s position as a leader in promoting renewable energy, which helps the effort to clean our air and fight climate change. The Governor’s signature keeps customer-owned clean energy affordable and will keep encouraging the use of greener power to reduce our carbon emissions,” said Assemblymember Ting. 

At a time when the state has set ambitious clean energy goals, AB 1208 ensures that local governments do not create counter-productive disincentives to homeowners and businesses considering investments in clean energy. The law also provides consumers that have already invested in solar energy with the assurance that cities and counties will not tax their solar energy in the future.

“I’m thrilled to see California take this decisive step toward protecting a homeowner’s most basic clean energy right,” said Dave Rosenfeld, Executive Director of Solar Rights Alliance, a statewide association of California solar users. “Just like growing your own carrots and avoiding sales taxes, if you put the sunlight that falls on your roof or property to your own use, you shouldn’t have to pay a tax either.”

The bill faced little controversy since it was introduced in May. It passed both the State Assembly and Senate with unanimous support. 

CALSSA Statement on Fire & PV System Safety

The California Solar & Storage Association (CALSSA) is committed to the safety of the products we manufacture and install throughout California. With over a million solar photovoltaic systems installed to date, the overwhelming majority of which operate without incident, some for over thirty years, it is well established that solar photovoltaic systems that are properly designed, installed, and maintained have a long track record of fire and system safety. There are several government-regulated steps that are in place today to ensure public safety of solar energy systems. This brief memo is designed to give consumers and policy makers a better understanding of those steps.

First, before a technology can come to market, including solar modules, racking systems, inverters, and batteries, international panels of safety experts develop international codes and standards to which all manufacturers and installers must adhere. Manufactured products are then tested and certified by Nationally Recognized Test Laboratories such as UL. These labs, which are Occupational Safety and Health Services (OSHA) certified, test the key components of the solar energy system to ensure that they are all fire-resistant and safe for homes and businesses when properly installed.

Second, local building departments inspect all solar energy installations to ensure the different components of a solar system are properly installed and safe for operation. Before a contractor can even begin to install a solar project on a home or business, local building departments determine if the contractor has the skills and knowledge to properly construct the solar system including verification that the contractor is properly licensed by the Contractor State License Board. Becoming a licensed contractor requires years of documented experience as well as an exam on trade related knowledge including safety codes and standards.

Third, after the building department determines the installer is licensed to do the installation, they review the contractor’s plans to ensure the system complies with applicable electrical, fire, structural, and other building codes.

Fourth, with permission to construct a solar system in hand, the contractor may proceed with the installation phase. During installation, solar contractors have an obligation to ensure all members of their crew have sufficient product and safety knowledge. To meet these requirements, installers attend regular trainings offered by product manufacturers and other third-party training programs to learn how to correctly install solar products to protect the consumer’s investment and avoid safety hazards. 

Fifth, before the solar system can be turned on to start generating power for the home or business, the local building department inspects the work to verify that the installation matches the submitted plans and has been installed safely.  

Lastly, the local electric utility also reviews the solar system to ensure all local utility interconnection rules and safety procedures have been followed. It is only after this final step, that the local utility allows the solar system to be turned on.

Throughout the life of the system, contractors and other qualified persons perform periodic inspections to maintain the solar system, ensuring continued safe operation.

By following the above practices, the solar industry has installed millions of solar systems that operate safely and without incident. CALSSA is committed to the installation of safe solar systems manufactured to code, installed by licensed contractors following manufacturer's instructions, codes, standards, and installation best practices, and finally permitted, inspected, and approved by local officials. By following these steps, solar energy systems can operate safely for many years, providing clean, renewable electricity, beneficial for a healthier energy future.

CALSSA to Mobilize 400 Solar & Storage Workers at Annual Lobby Day & Info Fair

Sacramento, CA – CALSSA is hosting its sixth annual Solar and Storage Worker Lobby Day & Info Fair at the California state capitol in Sacramento on Wednesday, August 21.

As the state’s largest clean energy trade group, CALSSA aims to turn out 400 workers this year and to expand upon the day’s activities by offering an informational fair to educate California lawmakers and their staff about the latest solar and storage technologies as well as foster business-to-business networking opportunities. In between lobbying meetings, CALSSA will also offer technical workshops for installers on the capitol grounds as part of the day’s activities. 

"Elected officials are constantly bombarded with messaging from lobbyists, but when an elected official sits down and talks directly with a worker from their hometown, it cuts through all that noise, and the message gets through," said CALSSA Executive Director, Bernadette Del Chiaro.

Past Lobby Day attendees have come from all over the state representing all areas of the California solar and storage market including local and national contractors, manufacturers, services providers, and suppliers.

Pete Marsh of Vector Green Power & Materials attended a previous CALSSA lobby day, "It was fantastic! Well organized and effective at moving the needle with lawmakers."

For Rafael Valdez of Westhaven Solar, "It was a moment in my life I'll never forget. It has given me a new perspective on the way things are changed in the state of California and I look forward to more of these events."

This event is open to all professionals in the California solar and storage industry and sponsorships and tabling opportunities still exist. Learn more and RSVP here,

Solar-Estimate.org’s calculator is chosen by SolarPowerRocks.com according to press release

In a late-July press release, SolarPowerRocks.com announced they would be adding Solar-Estimate.org’s solar calculator to their site.

Solar Power Rocks (SPR) is known for providing educational resources for homeowners looking to go solar. While their yearly state solar power rankings and analysis of solar policy have gone a long way to inform consumers, they are now taking their available tools to the next level with the addition of the Solar-Estimate.org calculator.

SPR has been reluctant in the past to add support for a solar calculator, but the overall accuracy of Solar-Estimate.org’s calculator made the decision easy:

“‘In the past, we've offered only general examples of the savings homeowners might see by installing solar panels, because there hasn't been an online solar calculator that can model the effect of things like time-of-use electricity billing and shading,’ said Ben Zientara, head of content at SPR.

‘With the Solar-Estimate.org calculator, homeowners will now be able to accurately estimate energy production and savings for their own home. It's by far the most accurate and easy-to-use online solar estimator, and we at SPR are delighted to be the second 3rd-party site to use it.’”

The Solar-Estimate.org calculator uses Genability to incorporate electric usage profile modeling. This allows the calculator to model the effect of solar on a homeowner’s daily electric usage over the course of a year. Coupled with support for local utility rates (including time-of-use rates), incentives and rebates, and climate conditions, the Solar-Estimate.org calculator is the most accurate solar panel calculator available for free on the internet.

In addition to SPR and Solar-Estimate.org, the solar calculator is also used on the leading website for consumer solar reviews, SolarReviews.com.

9th Annual Solar Battle of the Bands Unveiled. Tickets on Sale Now!

The best solar party of the year is on! The California Solar & Storage Association proudly announces the 9th Annual Solar Battle of the Bands, will be held on July 9, 2019 at the Mezzanine in San Francisco.

Drumroll please! This year’s line-up is:

• “DC/AC” from SunPower – 2018 SBOB champions!

• “Northerner & The Rafters” featuring members from Quick Mount PV and Everest Solar Systems.

• “The Rapid Shutdowns“ featuring members from San Francisco’s own Luminalt, returning after a year’s hiatus.

• And brand new talent to SBOB, “The Power Chords“ featuring members from SepiSolar and Avalon Battery.

 The event will also feature DJ SolFuture, spinning between band sets.

“Tradeshow or no tradeshow, the real show must go on!” said Bernadette Del Chiaro, long-time SBOB groupie and the executive director of the California Solar & Storage Association (CALSSA), the event host. “Come on people now! Everybody, let’s get together for the one night of the year where we can all dance and celebrate building a clean energy future.”

Solar Battle of the Bands is a unique solar industry party, music competition, and major fundraiser for California’s oldest and largest solar and storage industry association, CALSSA. Solar Battle of the Bands, will be returning to the Mezzanine in downtown San Francisco on Tuesday, July 9, 2019. Doors will open at 7 PM and the first band will take the stage at 8 PM. The event coincides with CALSSA’s Bay Area Contractor Day from 9 – 5:30 PM the same day and in walking distance to the Mezzanine.  

“When I started SBOB with Quick Mount PV 9 years ago, we had no idea what a major event it would become for our industry. I’m so happy it has also evolved into a way for everyone to not only come together and celebrate the awesome musical talent in solar and storage, but to support CALSSA and all they do to protect and grow our market. Without them we all wouldn’t be able to do what we do for the industry we love!” said Johan Alfsen, event founder and band leader.

Event tickets will be sold online via CALSSA’s website.  All proceeds from the event benefit CALSSA’s ongoing work to grow and protect California’s solar and storage market. Must be 21 or older to attend.

More information here >>

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Thank you to our event sponsors, Sunnova, Quick Mount PV & Outback Power. Sponsorship spots are available! Learn more >>

Guest Blog Post by SolarReviews.com: Solar-Estimate Guide to Solar Panels

In a recent study, Solar-Estimate has procured a new page which takes a deep dive and analyzes solar panels, comparing the best in the industry. This guide to solar panels will tell you everything you need to know about solar panels including the best brands, most efficient, best value, and best DIY panels. The page also includes a beginner’s guide to understanding warranties and other statistics which are important to consider when deciding which solar panels are best for your home. This is a great way to understand your options if you’ve already determined solar is worth it for your home. If you’re still trying to figure out if solar is worth it, but you’d prefer the simplicity of a calculator, you can check out the Solar-Estimate calculator to get an estimate based on your location.

Solar-Estimate performed a comprehensive data analysis of solar panels using installed system data from over 130,000 systems in 2018 and by compiling detailed specifications from each manufacturer. In this study, Solar-Estimate ranks some of the top solar panel manufacturers by providing industry expert reviews as well as consumer reviews from verified purchasers of solar panels for home. In the expert review, Solar-Estimate selects the 4 best solar panel brands by taking into account many factors including efficiency, cost per watt value, warranty value, manufacturer reputation, and reliability. 

While Solar-Estimate does have their own system for their expert reviews, every consumer is different and these rankings may not apply to everyone. This is why Solar-Estimate breaks down rankings by sections and gives the reader the opportunity to read, learn, and decide for themselves which panels are best for their particular situation. These ranking sections include most efficient, best value, most commonly used in 2018, and best DIY panels available for purchase online.

In addition to the rankings, the page includes information for a wide range of expertise levels. For beginners, there are the “Solar Panels 101” and “Solar Panel Dictionary” sections which educate users by explaining solar panel details in layman’s terms. For experts, they have included specific details for each panel including Voc, Isc, size and weight, and other essential information needed to design a system from scratch.

The final and most unique part of the study is the breakdown and comparison of performance warranties for each panel manufacturer. Performance warranties are very important, as they can indicate how much value a solar panel will provide over its lifetime. Warranties can be very difficult to understand, and Solar-Estimate has visually represented performance warranties with a very easily readable graph.

Statement on the Solar Foundation’s 2018 Annual Solar Jobs Census

Bernadette Del Chiaro, Executive Director, California Solar & Storage Association

The Solar Foundation’s 2018 Jobs Census found that California lost 9,500 solar jobs in 2018, the second year in a row of job loss for the state’s most promising clean energy market. Link to report here.

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The job losses track the decline in California's annual solar installations that went from 1.3 megawatts (MW) in 2016 to approximately 1.2 MW in both 2017 and 2018 for distributed solar energy installations (source: DG Stats database based on utility interconnection data).  The state also experienced a sharp decline in demand for utility scale solar projects during this time.

California’s solar market decline is due almost entirely to policy changes at the state level including modifications in investor-owned and publicly-owned utility net energy metering policies as well as changes to rate structures that have been designed to be less solar friendly. In addition, persistent utility interconnection barriers and permitting red tape continue to drag the California solar market, causing delays and added costs and slowing down the consumer adoption of solar energy and energy storage. 

As the state deepens its commitment to clean energy on paper, establishing a 100% clean energy goal by 2045 in 2018, it has simultaneously weakened foundational policies that support local clean energy markets. If California hopes to lead the nation and the world in realizing a clean energy future it must maintain strong policies that allow local renewable energy technologies to compete and thrive. 

Looking ahead, countervailing winds driving future growth are on the horizon including the state’s new solar homes mandate as well as incentives for energy storage. Neither of these initiates, however, will result in added jobs if the underlying solar market continues to be undermined by state and local policies. Furthermore, marked growth from these initiatives is not expected until mid-2020. 

Despite the decline in the solar market and resulting job loss over the past two years, California’s solar industry still employs more people than the state’s traditional fossil fuel-oriented utilities combined. Solar energy is a job-intensive technology creating more jobs per unit of energy generated than conventional resources. These jobs are community-based and cannot be outsourced. Building solar is good for our environment and good for our local economies as well.

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For more information, contact Bernadette Del Chiaro at 916-765-3224 or bernadette@calssa.org. 

California Solar & Storage Association Issues White Paper on DER Barriers

Sacramento, CA—The California Solar and Storage Association (CALSSA) today released a white paper detailing barriers that prevent customer-sited solar and storage from maximizing its potential as a grid resource. The white paper describes opportunities for distributed resources to provide value to the electric grid and the environment, along with program improvements that are needed to encourage customer investment.

“California policy makers have had great intentions to enable distributed resources to capture the additional value they can bring to the grid, but pushing past some of the technical challenges has been slow going,” said white paper author Scott Murtishaw.

Customer-sited resources like solar and energy storage can provide numerous values to the electric grid including energy, system capacity, local generation and distribution capacity, voltage support, and other ancillary services.  To provide those services, customer-sited resources need access to the right programs and tariffs.

The CALSSA white paper, “Barriers to Maximizing the Value of Behind-the-Meter Distributed Energy Resources,” documents five main categories of barriers affecting the participation of customer-sited resources in utility-led led solicitations and programs as well as demand response products overseen by the California Independent System Operation (CAISO):

1.     Program Participation Exclusions in Utility Solicitations

2.     Prohibitions on Participating in Multiple Utility Programs

3.     Dual Participation Limits in Demand Response Programs

4.     Capacity Credit Limitations and Availability Requirements in Demand Response Programs

5.     Lack of Clarity in Demonstrating Incrementality vis-à-vis DER Adoption Forecasts

Within each of these categories, the white paper discusses specific barriers and presents solutions that the CAISO and California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) should consider to resolve these barriers quickly and efficiently.

“Every year that the CAISO and CPUC wait to develop new program rules to overcome the barriers we’ve identified, California leaves millions of dollars a year of foregone grid value on the table,” added Murtishaw. “We encourage the CPUC and CAISO to act expeditiously on the recommendations in our white paper to unlock the full value of customer-sited energy resources.”

View the full white paper here >>

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For questions, please contact Scott Murtishaw.