The California State Legislature handed AB 2316 authored by Assemblymember Chris Ward (D-San Diego) to create group renewable vitality packages, reminiscent of group photo voltaic + storage, to beat clear vitality entry limitations impacting practically half of Californians who lease or have low incomes whereas strengthening the state’s energy grid.
This precedence invoice for a diverse coalition of supporters — together with advocates for environmental justice, clear vitality, ratepayers, dwelling builders and business property — now heads to Governor Gavin Newsom who may have till September 30 to behave on the measure.
AB 2316 requires giant utilities serving greater than 100,000 prospects to create and implement packages that “allow ratepayers to take part straight in offsite electrical era amenities that use eligible renewable vitality sources,” reminiscent of group photo voltaic.
“This invoice rightly places communities most harmed by air pollution and local weather change entrance and heart in California’s transition to a clear vitality future,” mentioned Alexis Sutterman, Power Fairness Program Supervisor on the California Environmental Justice Alliance. “By signing this invoice, Governor Newsom can minimize vitality payments for low-income households struggling to make ends meet and take a essential step ahead in closing the clear vitality hole. This invoice may also enhance clear vitality capability, which can assist California safely and reliably retire polluting fossil gasoline crops in environmental justice communities.”
Neighborhood photo voltaic tasks are smaller -scale installations usually constructed on landfills, former industrial websites or non-public land. Prospects can join as subscribers and, in flip, obtain credit on their electrical energy payments based mostly on their share of the mission’s era. When paired with vitality storage, tasks improve energy grid reliability by offering energy after the solar units.
The Biden Administration is deploying group photo voltaic to generate $1 billion in annual utility invoice financial savings in a pilot program benefitting low and middle-income households. The federal Inflation Discount Act consists of billions of {dollars} in new incentives for group photo voltaic tasks with storage benefiting low-moderate revenue households and paying prevailing wages.
AB 2316 would create a group renewable vitality program, reminiscent of group photo voltaic + storage. The invoice:
- Offers renters, practically half of Californians and predominantly folks of coloration, entry to wash vitality and decrease electrical energy payments
- Builds the reliability of California’s energy grid by way of linking storage with group photo voltaic
- Ensures at the very least 51% of subscribers are low-income prospects
- Requires prevailing wages for staff
- Avoids price transfers to non-participants and maximizes the state’s capacity to entry federal funds below the Inflation Discount Act.
“Californians are combating excessive vitality and housing prices greater than ever. Neighborhood photo voltaic + storage can put a refund of their pockets whereas combating local weather change and constructing a extra dependable energy grid,” mentioned Susannah Churchill, deputy program director, West at Vote Photo voltaic. “By signing this invoice, Governor Newsom can guarantee California leads the nation in equalizing clear vitality entry amongst households with low incomes whereas accessing billions in federal funds to supercharge this lengthy overdue change.”
Information merchandise from the Coalition for Neighborhood Photo voltaic Entry
