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Thursday, July 26, 2018

California Requires Solar Power for New Homes. Will Other States?

The state has a history of inspiring environmental movements across the country.

California became the first state in the nation in May to require that all new homes and apartment buildings three stories or fewer have rooftop solar panels starting in 2020. The move, according to the California Energy Commission, will cut energy use in new homes by more than 50 percent and “reduce greenhouse gas emissions by an amount equivalent to taking 115,000 fossil fuel cars off the road.”

California has long had a reputation as America’s environmental trendsetter. Back in the 1960s, choking under the worst smog in the nation, it successfully fought automakers to include catalytic converters and other cleaner technology on cars sold in the state -- a victory that was eventually rolled out nationwide. More recently, in 2006, California passed A.B. 32, which mandated that the state revert back to 1990 levels of greenhouse gas emissions by the year 2020. The legislation garnered national attention for putting into effect the largest cap-and-trade system in the country; it also inspired similar legislation in other states.

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10 comments:

Anonymous said...

I wouldn’t mind getting solar but I just can’t afford the initial installation

Anonymous said...

I'm waiting for better panels and prices. I'd like Tesla shingles, but the price is way out of reach.

Anonymous said...

Maryland is next.

California was the only state that required fire sprinklers for single-family homes and duplexes. Then next thing you know the Democrats forced it down our throats and we are the second state.

Now we will be the second state to force new homes to have solar energy. Wait till Ben Jealous gets elected, that's exactly what the Socialist Progressives. The Socialist Progressives want green energy including solar panels and wind power. They are trying to force Ocean City to build the windmills off the coast. They are also against pipelines.

Anonymous said...

I would like to have the Tesla home battery but "you know who" won't allow us to have one. (sigh...)

Anonymous said...

12:47 unless you get a battery bank set up, solar power is worthless!!!! Take it from an electrical engineer... Sure you will have others argue for it, and rightfully so... but with solar city and every other company trying to push these things, it only benefits them trust me... I ran the calcs... They charge you more per kilowatt hour usage than the regular power company on top of paying for the panels... Then they will argue they will lock you in a t a certain rate and only go up at most by 3% any time it raises and they will argue, that the power company might go up 3 to 6 percent at times... Unless it goes higher than the 3% to begin with, then it is still a wash...

Most of their systems, are based of the electromagnetic field of the power line coming into your house, which means, your solar power will only work when the power is on to your house, if the power goes out in your city or neighborhood, your solar panels don't work... They won't run your house, they wouldn't even power the smallest of LED lights that only take 1.5 volts to make bright, if the power goes out yours does to... You need a battery bank system to store the charge the panels make, and if you don't, do not waste your time... And make sure there is two cutoff panels for your system (one is for the house, and one is for the grid it is connected to) so if the power does go out you can flip the one switch and it won't send the charge back to the grid, and you cans till use it to power your house... If not, when there is an outage, like what Florida had, they were not allowed to use their panels, because their systems didn't have a grid cutoff switch and while people worked on the lines, they could be killed or blow something up will being fixed... If you have the grid cutoff, that would stop that sending charge to the grid and everyone will be safe...

Don't be fooled by solar city or vivint or how ever it is spelled, they are making it look nice and neat and pretty, but it is not... They are obligated by law to have a cert portion on solar and they are pretty much renting your roof space for them to meet their obligations, but doesn't really help you... They say they are insured and will warranty the parts and your roof upon inspection, but what about the rest of the house, if it gets water damage due to the holes in the roof and the panels not being installed right??? Sure the panels and roof will be fixed on them, but what if it ruined walls or other items in your house, they don't mention any of that being warrantied...

NOTHING IS EVER FREE, AND COMPANIES NEVER LOOK OUT FOR THE CONSUMERS BEST INTEREST, so when they say they do or are, as Bill says, here's your sign...

Anonymous said...

The problem in California is there are huge solar projects with electric to be sold and they can't give it away! Electricity storage is not possible and no matter how it is generated if the grid can't take it it's gone. Before you go solar you had better read the SMALL print. Caveat emptor!!!

Anonymous said...

Ride by UMES's solar field and the 500-1000 acres of the Great Bay Solar project before agreeing to place solar panels on your property.

Anonymous said...

You are right. They wonder why people are building and buying properties in delaware.

Anonymous said...

Anyone that goes door to door and isn't trying to help you.

Anonymous said...

Something doesn't smell right here. The constant b*tching/moaning about win turbines that WILL not be seen from the shore, to solar, to lack of recycling in OC, to way to many taxes in MD.

What a web we've woven.