2013 was a historic year for rooftop solar installation across the United States, and in California in particular. The Golden State added as much rooftop solar capacity as was installed over the prior 30 years combined.
"2013 was a banner year for clean energy and the U.S. solar industry was no exception," reports Kiley Kroh. "California, the nation’s solar standout, more than doubled its rooftop solar installations last year from 1,000 megawatts (MW) to 2,000 MW. To put this number in perspective, writes Bernadette Del Chiaro of the California Solar Energy Industries Association, it took California over 30 years to build the first 1,000 MW of rooftop solar."
"As record numbers of homes and businesses decide to go solar, utility companies are growing increasingly uneasy about the threat it poses to their existing business model," adds Kroh.
FULL STORY: California Installed More Rooftop Solar In 2013 Than Previous 30 Years Combined
California Program Promotes Multifamily Rooftop Solar
The state's SOMAH program, now finalized, provides rebates to multifamily affordable housing developments that use solar, and lets tenants share in the benefits.
New Rooftop Solar Laws in California Benefit Homeowners and Utilities
In the last week to sign bills, Gov. Jerry Brown signed AB 327 that allows utilities to charge all ratepayers for costs incurred to the grid by rooftop solar and allows those who have it to 'run the meter backwards', known as net metering.
California Leads in Solar Rooftops
A combination of state and local incentives and building code mandates has helped California far outpace other states in residential rooftop solar permits.
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The VW Bus is Back — Now as an Electric Minivan
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Healing Through Parks: Altadena’s Path to Recovery After the Eaton Fire
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San Diego to Rescind Multi-Unit ADU Rule
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Electric Vehicles for All? Study Finds Disparities in Access and Incentives
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Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
City of Albany
UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
City of Piedmont, CA
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research