/LA Times
By Paul Rogers | The Cupertino Courier
Come Jan. 1, all new, single-family homes in Calif. must be built with solar paneled roofs, or some other solar power system. While big companies have been preparing for years, “It definitely hits the little guy harder.”
California already generates more electricity from solar power than any other state. But now a dramatic expansion is about to begin as new building codes take effect Jan. 1 requiring all newly constructed homes statewide to be powered by the sun.
The first-in-the-nation rules, which will affect tens of thousands of homes every year, were approved in 2018 by the California Energy Commission under the administration of former Gov. Jerry Brown. They require all new single-family homes — along with new multifamily residences up to three stories tall, like condominiums — to be constructed with solar panels on their roofs or powered by a larger solar array somewhere else. The rules do not affect existing homes.
Supporters note the new building standards will reduce greenhouse gas emissions and smog statewide and will accelerate California’s leadership role in clean energy. They also note that if homeowners install batteries to store the solar power, they will continue to have electricity even when PG&E and other utilities shut off the power on hot, windy days to reduce the risk of wildfires from falling electrical lines.
