A decision was made by the California Energy Commission that requires all new homes to be built with solar. This decision is expected to bring more jobs, healthier communities, lower carbon emissions and a better energy service for Californians. This decision brings about a vote of confidence in the home solar and solar batteries industry.

Rooftop solar is a simple and cost-effective way for homeowners to bring clean and affordable energy to their state. By utilizing the solar technology, you are able to reduce the spending on poles and wires to transmit power, lower the costs for all customers using the electricity gird and make the overall energy system more resilient and reliable.

The choice to switch to solar is a win-win solution for home builders and homeowners. There are cash offers for solar purchases and there are upfront solar service contracts. There are solar companies that offer solar as a service contracts. Which means that there’s isn’t any upfront costs to installing solar system on your rooftop. Solar electricity is priced much lower than the traditional electricity. A solar household will benefit from monthly savings.

There are also benefits from solar communities, such as a boom in local employment. There’s exactly one-quarter of residential solar project costs - like a customer acquisition, installation labor, permitting and interconnection - are all spent locally.

The production and transmission of electricity if responsible for such a large part of the harmful carbon emissions in California’s energy system, which is a standard that’s going to play a very important role in aiding California in order to reach the climate and renewable energy goals.

California’s are already seeing the potential of solar energy that is stored in home batteries. A small portion of the energy that is stored in home batteries from aggregating, because of it, you’re able to deploy this energy to meet the electricity demand when it’s at it’s highest demand. The solar energy replaces the need for polluting and inefficient gas pants. Smart home technology is continuing to develop and it becomes more widespread, the homes are equipped with solar and solar batteries they will be optimized for the future technology.

This sort of clean energy, California is still a national leader as an environmental economic leader.

This new law as people asking questions and there are even a few misconceptions that are floating around about the new law.

1. When Will This New Solar Standard Take Effect?

California publishes energy efficiency building standards in 3 years intervals that prescribe energy efficiency measures for new homes. This falls in line with the state’s objective of making new houses net zero contributors to greenhouse gas emissions, the 2019 EE Building Standards will go to effect on 01/01/2020 and it will reduce energy usage and prescribe solar photovoltaic systems to offset the remaining electricity usage of the home with clean electricity that is produced on-site.

2. Are The New Standards Going To Increase the Price Of A New Home?  

It all depends on how the builder chooses to pay for the solar system. If the builder chooses to buy the solar energy system, the price the builder pays most likely be rolled into the sales price of the house. But, with the solar companies that offer solar as a service, the builder can waive all of the upfront costs of solar while delivering the savings on to the homebuyer. However, in those cases, the sales prices of the homes shouldn’t be impacted by the addition of solar energy.  

3. Do All Homes Have To Abide By This Policy?

Typically yes, all homes that are built after 01/01/2020 must abide by the 2019 standards. But, if the property has a lot of shade or is surrounded by an obstruction, if there’s insufficient roof space, or any other reasons that don’t make sense for a home to feature the solar, the builders might apply for exemptions for solar.

4. How Will These New Standards Impact My Monthly Utility Bill?

It all depends on your certain factors and utilities, but, in most cases and on average there will it’s expected that there will be quite a bit of savings on certain homes with solar over expected utility bills of homes without solar.  

5. How Will The New Standards Impact My Mortgage and Utility Bills?

The new mandate it’s expected to increase the monthly mortgage rates by around $40 and it will reduce utility rates by around $80. It won’t impact your mortgage if you have a solar service agreement. These new standards will give all homeowners an opportunity to save on their utility bills.

6. Who Is Going To Be Responsible For Maintenance Or Repairs Of The System?

If the solar system is sold with the home, usually the homeowner will be fully responsible for the ownership, which includes the maintenance and repairs. But, when there’s a solar service agreement, the solar service provider, will guarantee the system’s solar production and it’s responsible for maintenance and repair’s it for a 20 year period.