
Newsom Signs California Community Solar Act Into Law

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — California Gov. Gavin Newsom last week signed into a law a new program intended to help low-income communities reap the benefits of solar power.
It has been estimated that nearly half of Californians who rent or have low or modest incomes do not currently have access to clean, renewable energy.
The law, AB 2316, seeks to remedy that by directing the California Public Utilities Commission to create a community renewable energy program that prioritizes access for renters, apartment dwellers, low-income households and others who cannot install on-site solar and storage.
The bill also requires the commission to support existing community solar programs and replace those that are not achieving their goals.
“Together with the Legislature, California is taking the most aggressive action on climate our nation has ever seen,” Newsom said in a statement after he signed the legislation, which was a component of the larger, $54 billion California Climate Commitment ratified by the state Senate earlier this month.
“That’s climate action done the California way — and we’re not only doubling down, we’re just getting started,” Newsom said.
According to the Coalition for Community Solar Access, community solar projects are typically smaller scale installations that are constructed on landfills, former industrial sites or private land.
By signing up as a subscriber, customers save an average of 10% on their electric bills by receiving credits based on their share of the project’s generation.
When paired with energy storage, community solar helps build grid reliability by providing clean power after sunset during peak hours of energy use.
The Biden administration recently launched a community solar pilot program to generate $1 billion in annual utility bill savings benefitting low- and middle-income households, and the Inflation Reduction Act includes billions of dollars in new incentives for states like California that are launching community solar programs with storage benefiting low-moderate income families and paying prevailing wages.
“By signing AB 2316, Newsom cemented California’s role leading the next wave of clean energy growth across the country,” said Derek Chernow, western regional director at the Coalition for Community Solar Access.
“It will make affordable and reliable clean energy available to millions of Californians who have been unfairly left behind in the clean energy transition,” Chernow said.
Dan can be reached at [email protected] and @DanMcCue
In The News
Health
Voting
In The States
WASHINGTON — Americans starting to think about spring and summer vacations as the weather warms may find their favorite water... Read More
WASHINGTON — Americans starting to think about spring and summer vacations as the weather warms may find their favorite water destinations unsafe for swimming. Thick layers of cyanobacteria — commonly known as blue-green algae — have closed popular local lakes in recent years, and Florida has... Read More
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden on Friday will visit a Mississippi town ravaged by a deadly tornado even as... Read More
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden on Friday will visit a Mississippi town ravaged by a deadly tornado even as a new series of severe storms threatens to rip across the Midwest and the South. Last week's twister destroyed roughly 300 homes and businesses in Rolling... Read More
FORT CAMPBELL, Ky. (AP) — Two Army helicopters crashed in southwestern Kentucky during a routine training mission, causing several casualties,... Read More
FORT CAMPBELL, Ky. (AP) — Two Army helicopters crashed in southwestern Kentucky during a routine training mission, causing several casualties, military officials said. The two HH-60 Black Hawk helicopters, part of the 101st Airborne Division, crashed around 10 p.m. Wednesday in Trigg County, Kentucky, according to... Read More
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — North Carolina residents can now buy a handgun without getting a permit from a local sheriff,... Read More
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — North Carolina residents can now buy a handgun without getting a permit from a local sheriff, after the Republican-controlled state legislature on Wednesday overrode the Democratic governor’s veto — a first since 2018. The House voted 71-46 to enact the bill, which eliminates the... Read More
WASHINGTON — With exploitation on the rise and Republican lawmakers in some states rolling back protections, the Biden administration is... Read More
WASHINGTON — With exploitation on the rise and Republican lawmakers in some states rolling back protections, the Biden administration is stepping up its efforts to combat child labor violations. Labor Department officials say there has been a dramatic increase in the number of children employed in... Read More
EAST PALESTINE, Ohio — The state of Ohio received more than $209,000 in wellness and community resilience funding this week,... Read More
EAST PALESTINE, Ohio — The state of Ohio received more than $209,000 in wellness and community resilience funding this week, the first in a series of grants awarded by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration in the wake of last month’s East Palestine train... Read More