As increasing wildfires, floods and droughts continue to convince most people of the need to transition to renewable energy, the California Public Utilities Commission is considering a policy that some say would halt the growth of rooftop solar energy in the state—a “local solar killer,” says Jessica Tovar of the Local Clean Energy Alliance.
The CPUC will soon issue draft rules that could change the terms of the financial deal between utility companies like PG&E and customers with solar panels. The utility companies want to slash the prices they pay solar customers for the extra electricity they upload to the grid and charge them a substantial monthly “connection” fee. The utilities—and some community organizations—say the current arrangements shift costs from owners of rooftop solar to other customers, and that rooftop-solar customers aren’t paying their share of…