California has consistently been regarded as a national leader in environmental conservation and maintenance, and it continues to set the bar high for the rest of the country.
By 2030, the Golden State has set decreasing carbon emissions to 1990 levels. If California were to meet this target, this would equate to removing 5.6 million automobiles off the road each year, lowering yearly emissions from 14 to 10 tons per person.
According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), we have till 2030 to reduce carbon emissions by 45 percent while keeping global temperatures below 1.5°C.
Increasing rooftop solar can improve renewable electricity output while safeguarding the state’s open spaces and making communities more resilient to power grid disruptions caused by global warming.
A Solar Requirement in California vs Climate Change
Solar energy is a sustainable alternative to traditional energy sources. Its supply is limitless, and once many people use it, solar power can reduce greenhouse gas emissions significantly.
With that being said, the solar panel in California must be large enough to fulfill the building’s yearly power demand.
Because electricity usage can be difficult to forecast in new construction projects, builders estimate each property based on the building’s floor size and climate zone.
However, there is some leeway when it comes to solar panel system sizing. For example, builders may reduce the size needed of a design on a property by including battery storage into the structure.
When combined with a solar battery, such as the Tesla Powerwall or LG Chem RESU10H, the required size of the solar panel system can be reduced by up to 25%. In addition, by incorporating energy efficiency or other supply measures into building design alongside battery storage, the necessary PV system sizes can be reduced by up to 40%.
Costs & Benefits of a Solar Mandate
A cost-effectiveness analysis was done by the California Clean Energy Commission to examine the cost and savings impact for Californians owning a single-family house under these new construction rules.
They discovered that the solar panel mandate would boost the cost of a newly constructed single-family house by around $8,400, or about $40 per month in mortgage interest.
(Note: they computed this estimate using a cost assumption of $3.10 per Watt for the installed solar panel system, which is more than the average cost of solar given on the EnergySage Marketplace for California homes.)
While the initial costs of new homes may rise, the CEC anticipates that the savings gains for new homeowners would greatly surpass these expenditures.
The state forecasts that single-family homeowners will save around $80 per month on power bills, assuming an average electricity rate of about 18 cents per kilowatt-hour (kWh).
These monthly power bill reductions, combined with an extra $40 per month in house payments for the solar panel installation, will result in a net savings of $40 per month for new homeowners.
This equates to a savings of $500 per year annually. These savings figures will only grow if power costs continue to climb and solar prices continue to plummet.
Improving Solar Net Energy Metering (NEM)
This policy will change to support our aspirations for a just and fair sustainable energy transition.
Because of state regulations that have expedited clean energy investment, California is leading the nation in combating climate change. However, as California’s renewable energy industry grows, these rules will need to develop and change to remain successful.
This is the case with solar net energy metering (NEM), a program that compensates utility users for the power generated by their rooftop solar panels.
California’s Senate Bill 100 and Executive Order No. By 2045, B-55-18 aims to achieve zero-carbon power and a carbon-neutral economy.
Achieving California’s sustainable energy objective in a timely, equitable, and cost-effective way, innovative policy and action solutions are required.
NEM aided in establishing the rooftop solar business in California and the participation of Californians in the clean energy transition.
A Final Word on Solar Panels as a Californian Weapon Against Climate Change
Climate change is a complicated issue that necessitates contributions from all industries and each of us because it has a wide range of causes, and there is no one-size-fits-all solution.
Even while research into the topic continues, it is apparent that using renewable energy sources can help to mitigate climate change.
As a result, California should improve and evolve laws that encourage the rise of solar electricity on homes, companies, schools, farms, and other structures to accelerate the transition to a 100% clean energy system while also safeguarding the environment.
Is your house one of the few that doesn’t have a solar panel system just yet? Yorkshire Roofing can help you with your roofing needs. Contact us at (800) 794-744 as we assist you in learning more about solar panel installation.
