Posted on 05/10/2018 8:45:07 AM PDT by Zhang Fei
A state board in California has approved a proposal to require solar panels on all new homes beginning in 2020, a measure that would increase the cost of new construction but provide savings on utilities and help the state meet ambitious targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
California, which is routinely a leader in environmental regulatory efforts, would be the first state in the country with such a requirement. Several cities, including San Francisco and South Miami, Fla., have residential solar panel requirements.
The new rule in California would cover all low-rise residential buildings, although houses that are frequently in the shade are exempt. It applies only to new construction.
The California Energy Commission approved the new regulation on Wednesday; the Building Standards Commission still needs to approve it, The Associated Press reports.
"Representatives from construction groups, public utilities and solar manufacturers all spoke in support of the plan, which they've helped the commission develop for years," the AP reports. "No industry groups spoke in opposition."
"But Republican legislative leaders argue Californians can't afford to pay any more for housing in the state's already extremely expensive market," the AP writes.
A report commissioned by the state found that the requirement will have an average upfront cost of $9,365. Utility savings will balance out that cost over the long term, but the higher sales point will still hurt developers, real estate agents and some homebuyers.
California has some of the highest housing costs in the country and has a widespread housing shortage.
Also, because of the way California calculates electric bills, increasing the number of solar panels in the state might hurt other ratepayers by causing their bills to go up.
(Excerpt) Read more at npr.org ...
And thats exactly what theyll do. Just like their requirement that if you have a fireplace with any kind of wood stove/pellet stove in it it must be EPA compliant or rendered unusable by filling it with cement.
We have an older pellet stove in a real fireplace that will have to be removed, disposed of, and the real fireplace put back in working order if we ever decide to sell our house. Its stupid since the pellet stove puts out much less pollutants than a real fireplace does. Idiots.
All of the masses must do their part for the collective power! Obey!
Nope. Paid cash for the system. No liens, it's his free and clear. Not sure what his warranty is. He's had the system for two years now, and electric rates have gone up considerably in those two years, with further increases being pushed by the utility constantly.
Sounds like you did very well.
"paid for completely" is the smartest way to buy a solar panel installation. Some deals like that seem to have a positive return-on-investment. It is the hidden financing costs that can put things underwater.
Again, however, the expected useful life of solar panels appears to be 8-10 years, and that is what should be included in the planning basis. A 25-year "guarantee" means absolutely nothing. None of these companies will be around in 5-10 years.
I think he said 25-year operating life. Not sure on quality and expected life-span.
We currently have refrigerated air (versus a swamp cooler), and I'd almost rather go back to a swamp cooler, as that is what the house originally had, and cutting electricity costs by half, easily. The crap part is they are roof-mounted, and don't work well at cooling the house during our monsoon season, which also corresponds to the hottest part of the year here.
Require?
Thanks for pricing normal people out of housing
Yup.
My first thought. My son's four houses in LA county just went up in price/value.
If we had proper judges across the judiciary, this could be challenged as a form of “taking” of property without even the limited benefit of the demands of eminent domain.
The state is mandating that owners and builders put in solar panels to meet a political demand of the state, forcing an unnecessary cost on builders, homeowners AND the electric grid suppliers, as they, the grid suppliers, will be required, in California to pay retail for any electricity brought to the grid by the solar panels. The grid will also acquire infrastructure costs for handling all the additional residential solar generated input.
So exist5ing homes will become even more pricey, more in demand, and the pricey newer homes that will have more legally mandated costs, will further squeeze out citizens looking for “affordable” housing.
Maybe the sneaky California Dims are trying to make California too costly for the very “immigrants” they are so fond of defending, hoping they will “migrate” out of California??
Do they even notice all the fecal matter on the roads? Guess they fly over to their mansions in helicopters or whatnot.
I think I’ll call my 401K advisor tomorrow. See what he thinks about investing in long distance moving companies based in California.
The state is lying again as solar panels do not cost $9,365
On KABC radio this morning the host was talking to another and they had both priced solar and agreed the cost was $30,000 to $40,000. The host has a 2,000sq/ft home.
Kinda like the high speed rail cost and the speed. All lies.
“On KABC radio this morning the host was talking to another and they had both priced solar and agreed the cost was $30,000 to $40,000. The host has a 2,000sq/ft home.”
The state subsidizes solar as it does not pay otherwise to use. Sounds great in theory but too expensive in practice.
That is one of the reasons the electric rates are so high in Calif, around .18/kw vs 6 to 9 cents most everywhere else. The other reason is to pay for the pensions.
Wait until everyone sees the surcharge for re-engineering those homes we all see in the magazines.
And at what point will they have to be replaced?””
When the first earthquake hits OR the first big wind-hail storm.
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