Legislative victory for solar energy

The solar industry emerged victoriously from three harrowing battles in the California Legislature's 2002 session:

Net metering

Protects the ability of utility customers with photovoltaic systems generating between 10 kilowatts and one megawatt to receive credit from utilities. Without this bill, AB 58, net metering for those systems would have ended this year. Net metering means that utilities like PG&E or Southern California Edison must credit "customer-generators" who generate excess power from their solar PV systems back into the state power grid, causing their electrical meters to run backwards. (Read the background on net metering.)

Gov. Davis signed the net metering bill into law after its unanimous passage in the Legislature. Many people - including CCEnergy supporters - came together to make this happen. Special thanks to Les Nelson, Kathy Lynch, Ed Murray, and Vince Schwent for their tireless efforts to move this through the legislature in the face of strong utility opposition. Thanks as well to Kari Smith, Tor Allen, Juliette Anthony, Craig Stevens and others for their grass-roots efforts.

Buydown rebate

The California Energy Commission's Emerging Buydown Program received funding for an additional 10 years through the passage of SB 1038. The CEC buydown program has been a critical incentive for consumers and businesses to install renewable energy systems by enabling the state to rebate $4.50 per watt, or up to half of the installed cost of these systems.

Provisions in SB 1038 were also intended to eliminate the "hole" in funding renewable energy systems larger than 10kW and less than 30kW by raising the size limit of "small systems" from 10kW (the current definition) to 50kW. Systems above 30kW are also covered by the Self-Generation Incentive Program (SGIP) administered by the California Public Utilities Commission. The bill also authorizes funding for the Public Interest Energy Research (PIER) Program.

Solar tax credit

The state's 15% solar tax credit for purchasers of solar energy systems survived state budget cuts. Anyone who purchases solar energy systems will benefit from this 15% tax credit. This income tax credit was established last year, but the Governor and others attempted to suspend it for a couple of years as a means of balancing the state budget. CCEnergy helped by organizing its members and other supporters - people like you - to write to their legislators and express their views.

CCEnergy helped make these legislative victories happen. Read our press release >>