California to Require Solar on New Residential Buildings

"Now, California is on the verge of making solar standard on virtually every new home built in the Golden State," reports Jeff Collins.

The California Energy Commission will vote next week on new energy standards mandating solar panels for most new homes starting in 2020.

The decision to require solar marks a departure from a potential standard that requires net zero energy standards. Collins includes a discussion of the distinction between these two policy paths.

As for the details of the new energy standards, Collins reports: "The new solar mandate would apply to all houses, condos and apartment buildings up to three stories tall that obtain building permits after Jan. 1, 2020." There are exceptions, which Collins lists in the article.

Another important angle for the new energy requirements are the additional cost solar arrays and other features of the proposed energy standard will add to housing construction. "The new energy standards add about $25,000 to $30,000 to the construction costs compared with homes built to the 2006 code," according to estimates cited in the article.