Solar Rights Alliance

WE EDUCATE AND ENGAGE THE PUBLIC TO DEFEND THE RIGHT OF EVERY CALIFORNIAN TO MAKE AND STORE SOLAR ENERGY ON THEIR PROPERTY WITHOUT UNREASONABLE INTERFERENCE OR BARRIERS.

STOP THE BIG UTILITY TAX SOLAR RIGHTS ALLIANCE HELPED LEAD THE STATEWIDE CAMPAIGN TO STOP THE UTILITIES FROM CHARGING ALL RATEPAYERS A LARGE UTILITY TAX OF BETWEEN 25 AND 80/MONTH JUST FOR BEING HOOKED UP TO THE UTILITY. THE UTILITY TAX WILL INCREASE BILLS ON MILLIONS OF RATEPAYERS WHO DO NOT USE MUCH ELECTRICITY. THIS WOULD IMPACT SOLAR USERS AND PEOPLE LIVING IN APARTMENTS AND SMALL HOMES. SOLAR RIGHTS ALLIANCE HELPED BUILD A STATEWIDE COALITION OF MORE THAN 250 NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS, WHICH WORKED TOGETHER TO MOBILIZE TENS OF THOUSANDS OF LETTERS, PHONE CALLS, AND IN PERSON MEETINGS WITH STATE LAWMAKERS URGING THEM TO PASS A LAW TO STOP THE BIG UTILITY TAX. IN RESPONSE TO THIS PRESSURE, LAWMAKERS INTRODUCED A BILL TO REIN IN THE UTILITY TAX IN EARLY 2024.

PROTECT CONSUMER BATTERY WARRANTIES SOLAR RIGHTS ALLIANCE ALERTED CONSUMERS TO A PROPOSAL AT THE STATE CONTRACTOR LICENSING BOARD THAT WOULD EFFECTIVELY FORCE SOLAR USERS WITH A BATTERY TO VOID THE WARRANTY ON THEIR SYSTEM. MORE THAN 300 CONSUMERS WROTE A LETTER TO THE CSLB AND DOZENS TESTIFIED IN PERSON AT THE CSLB'S JUNE MEETING. PARTLY IN RESPONSE TO CONSUMER PRESSURE, THE CSLB DELAYED THEIR DECISION TO 2024. CONSUMER EDUCATION SOLAR RIGHTS ALLIANCE CONTINUED ITS WORK TO HELP CURRENT AND PROSPECTIVE SOLAR USERS MAKE INFORMED CONSUMER CHOICES WITH ACCURATE INFORMATION. WE PRIORITIZED EDUCATING THE PUBLIC ABOUT HOW THE CPUC'S NEM3 DECISION WOULD AFFECT CURRENT AND FUTURE SOLAR USERS, POSTING AN FAQ, HOSTING A WIDELY VIEWED WEBINAR, AND RESPONDING TO EMAIL AND PHONE INQUIRIES. WE ALSO HOSTED A WEBINAR ON BATTERY STORAGE TO HELP CONSUMERS DETERMINE IF THAT MADE SENSE FOR THEM. WE UPDATED THE CONTENT OF OUR ONLINE CONSUMER GUIDE TO REFLECT CHANGES IN THE LAW, AND RESPONDED TO ALL MANNER OF CONSUMER QUESTIONS VIA EMAIL AND PHONE.

GET ROOFTOP SOLAR GROWING AGAIN AS WE PREDICTED, THE ROOFTOP SOLAR MARKET BEGAN FALLING OFF A CLIFF IN LATE 2023 AS THE CA PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION (CPUC) RULE CHANGES TOOK EFFECT. SOLAR RIGHTS ALLIANCE HELPED DISTRIBUTE UP TO DATE SOLAR INDUSTRY DATA TO THE PUBLIC, AND ENCOURAGED THE PUBLIC TO CONTACT STATE LAWMAKERS AND ASK THEM TO PASS LEGISLATION TO REVERSE THE DAMAGE. THIS IS THE BEGINNING OF A MEDIUM TERM EFFORT TO PUSH BACK AGAINST THE UTILITY INFLUENCE IN THE LEGISLATURE AND GET THE PENDULUM SWINGING BACK TOWARDS ROOFTOP SOLAR. THIS EFFORT PROMPTED SEVERAL LAWMAKERS TO INTRODUCE LEGISLATION IN EARLY 2024.

CUT SOLAR RED TAPE SOLAR RIGHTS ALLIANCE LED THE EFFORT TO HELP LOCAL GOVERNMENTS COMPLY WITH THE SOLAR ACCESS ACT (2022). THIS NEW LAW REQUIRES CITIES AND COUNTIES TO IMPLEMENT A SYSTEM IN WHICH RESIDENTIAL ROOFTOP SOLAR PERMITS CAN BE ISSUED INSTANTANEOUSLY WHEN THE PLANS COMPLY WITH BUILDING CODES. SOLAR RIGHTS ALLIANCE EDUCATED THE PUBLIC ABOUT THE LAW AND ENCOURAGED RESIDENTS TO CONTACT LOCAL OFFICIALS TO EDUCATE THEM ABOUT THE LAW AND ENCOURAGE THEM TO COMPLY. SOLAR RIGHTS ALLIANCE TRAINED LOCAL RESIDENTS TO SPEAK AT THEIR LOCAL CITY AND COUNTY COUNCIL MEETINGS, DID OUTREACH TO THE MEDIA, AND ESTABLISHED A WEBSITE THAT TRACKS WHICH CITIES HAVE COMPLIED WITH THE LAW. HTTPS://SOLARRIGHTS.ORG/STREAMLINEDPERMITTING. THESE EFFORTS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR MORE THAN HALF OF ALL THE JURISDICTIONS (203 CITIES AND COUNTIES) THAT HAVE ACTED TO COMPLY WITH THE SOLAR ACCESS ACT. AS OF EARLY 2024, THE GRAND TOTAL POPULATION OF ALL CITIES AND COUNTIES THAT ARE IN THE PIPELINE OR HAVE FINISHED THE PIPELINE IS NOW 29,540,089, WHICH IS 76% OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA.