New Coalition Launches to Advance Community Solar in California
A new group will work hard to get California to start a community solar and storage scheme that works. Californians for Local, Affordable Solar and Storage (CLASS) will fight to make it easier for people to get sustainable energy that is local and cheap. This will cut power rates for families and small businesses and provide farmers and landowners new ways to make money all around the state.
Chaberton Energy, Dimension Energy, ECA Solar, Fieldworks Power, Nexamp, Renewable America, Renewable Properties, and White Pine Renewables are some of the founding members of the new group. California used to be the leader in distributed energy projects, but big investments in community solar have moved to states with better policies, including Illinois, which just approved a big energy package to boost community solar and storage.
California Falls Behind Other States
CLASS wants to return California to the top by creating a sustainable community solar and storage industry that could bring in tens of billions of dollars in new investment. Derek Chernow, a former senior staff member at the statehouse and a veteran of Sacramento, is the Executive Director of CLASS.
Chernow stated,
“Community solar is already lowering bills and making clean energy more available in states all over the country. It’s time for California to catch up and help renters and other families who are having trouble paying their high power bills.”
Even though the law says so and there is substantial support from both parties, the California Public Utilities Commission has not yet approved a practical scheme that would enable community solar and storage to grow on a large scale. Because of this, California is still far behind other states that are already getting reduced rates, a stronger power system, and economic advantages from solar energy produced in their own communities.
Industry Support for Policy Changes
Californians for Local, Affordable Solar and Storage will engage with lawmakers, regulators, and community leaders in the coming months to push for changes to laws and regulations that will finally make community solar and storage a reality in California.
Brandon Smithwood, Vice President of Policy at Dimension Energy, said,
“Through pilot projects across the Central Valley, we’ve shown that community solar can bring local, cost-saving clean energy to the Californians who need it most while creating quality jobs and meaningful revenue for farmers with deteriorating water supplies. We are ready to put money into solar and storage that are affordable and available in all parts of the state as soon as the state makes a real, workable community solar and storage program.”
Ardi Arian, Founder and CEO of Renewable America, remarked,
“California’s energy transition must be built from the bottom up. CLASS is building a platform that supports solar and storage systems that are located near where they are used, making the grid more reliable and helping keep energy costs low for Californians. Renewable America is happy to support this endeavour and work with a group that knows how important it is to find energy solutions in each area.”
“Renewable Properties is happy to call California home, and we are committed to constructing renewable energy projects in the area. Most of our current investments, on the other hand, are going to other states that have community solar and distributed generation programs that work,”
said Aaron Halimi, CEO of Renewable Properties.
“We want to put more money into our home state, but that can only happen if lawmakers, the Governor, and the CPUC can come up with and carry out a program that really works for developers, the public, and utilities.”
That’s why we’re happy to support CLASS and its plans to bring California back to the top of the list for distributed solar.
