Community Solar Proposed Decision Equitably Expands Access to Renewables
On March 4, 2024, an administrative law judge at the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) issued a Proposed Decision that improves existing community solar programs and creates a new program designed to expand renewable energy access to households that lack access to rooftop solar, especially low-income households. Importantly, the Proposed Decision accomplishes this without increasing costs for non-participating households. The Public Advocates Office supports the Proposed Decision, and we hope to see it expeditiously voted out at the next possible CPUC voting meeting to leverage federal funding and deliver benefits to Californians as soon as possible.
The Proposed Decision modifies two existing community solar programs to increase access and eligibility. For example, the expansion of the Disadvantaged Community Green Tariff Program allows for more households in disadvantaged communities to take advantage of community solar programs and receive a 20% bill discount. Along with the creation of a new community renewable program, this proposal will aid in making renewable energy more accessible to everyone, particularly low-income customers.
The new community solar program falls within the legislature’s statutory mandate (AB 2316, 2022) to the CPUC to consider establishing a new program that does not increase costs on households that do not participate in the program. This is important as these types of costs can be significant: the Public Advocates Office estimates the costs of other solar programs will exceed $6.5 billion in 2024, with the associated subsidies comprising more than 15% of nonparticipant electricity bills. Additionally, the new program positions the state to leverage more than $250 million of federal funding to increase access to solar energy.
The new program outlined in the Proposed Decision is different from the proposal the Public Advocates Office had developed in the CPUC proceeding that considered these updates. Upon review, however, we determined the new program, and the collective changes to the older programs, strike a more cogent balance between the state’s energy, equity, and environmental goals than our initial proposal and those from other stakeholders.
We support the Proposed Decision because it is a positive step toward meeting the state’s clean energy and climate goals, provides more avenues for low-income households to access renewable energy, and provides bill relief to households that need it most – without putting undue cost burdens on others.