CaliforniaSolar Commentary
Perspectives, thoughts and comments by CaliforniaSolar staff and others regarding solar developments in the state.
Latest CaliforniaSolar Commentary
A Simple Solution for NEM 3.0 ?
Well, admittedly nothing is simple when it comes to the California Public Utility Commission (CPUC) rule-making process and energy politics … Read More →
A Rebuttal to “The Social Benefits of Fossil Fuels Far Outweigh the Costs” Wall Street Journal Op-Ed, June 18, 2018, page A17
The Wall Street Journal periodically publishes perspectives of climate issues by individuals and/or institutions that disagree with the prevailing scientific … Read More →
Should the Solar Tariff Delay Your PV Plans?
The 30% tariff on solar cells and panels announced by the Trump Administration in January will increase the cost of … Read More →
Do We Need a Search For More Oil?
The following remarks were presented to the February 28, 2018, EPA Listening Session in San Francisco, CA, held to obtain … Read More →
California’s Distributed Energy Future
GTM Research has established itself as the premier source of information on solar industry trends and developments in the United States. It’s instructive that from that perspective, they chose to organize a conference focusing on a single state, California. We who participate in the solar industry here have recognized the state as a leader, but the less patronizing among us also recognize that the magnitude of this lead is only temporary. If solar is to realize its potential as one means of reducing environmental damage while reducing future customer utility costs, then other parts of the United States need to catch up … Read More →
Guest Columns
Exclusive insight and opinion from solar industry experts and thought leaders on solar developments in California. Guest contributors are not affiliated with California Solar.
Latest Guest Columns
KNIGHT HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS INSTALL PV IN NICARAGUA
Submitted by Abbi Chable, Knight High School
Ten students from Knight High school, part of the Antelope Valley Union High School District, participated with Grid Alternatives to travel on a service trip to Nicaragua and install off grid solar on remote village schools as part of their high school solar training program. After completing training on site at the school and on local homes in California (also with Grid Alternatives), the first group of six students traveled to Agua Fria, Esteli, Nicaragua in April 2015, followed by four more students who traveled to Totumblita, Matagalpa, Nicaragua in July 2015. … Read More →
GREEN ENERGY TECHNOLOGY ACADEMY (GETA) AT LAGUNA CREEK HIGH SCHOOL
Submitted by Dante Rodriguez, Laguna Creek High School
Laguna Creek High School in Elk Grove, California (suburban Sacramento) has created a Green Energy Technology Academy (GETA) that allows students in all years to participate in a variety of special Solar projects. These range from projects that benefit the school to solar projects that have provided benefits in 23 foreign countries to projects that have won the team international recognition.
GETA students, alongside professionals, have helped their academy convert to solar by mounting solar panels to the roof of the GETA classroom. The smart choice of using green energy will not only save the school money but also help reduce its carbon footprint. This GETA project will be able to produce clean energy for years to come while at the same time promote its green energy concepts. … Read More →
CALSEIA Executive Director Welcomes California Solar
By Bernadette Del Chiaro – Executive Director, California Solar Energy Industries Association (CALSEIA)
I am pleased to welcome CaliforniaSolar.
CaliforniaSolar is unique in its combination of news reports with quantitative data and in-depth reports and studies of use to researchers and analysts. I appreciate the efforts of CALSEIA member company Stanford Transportation Group for backing this effort. … Read More →
Commentary Previously Published by Others
A variety of individuals from diverse backgrounds and reflecting a wide range of viewpoints follow the solar industry within and beyond California. We often find viewpoints that are well-reasoned and/or raise important points for consideration. The following have particularly caught our eye. If you have seen one not listed that you believe should be brought to a wider audience through this page, please let us know about it through our Contact Us page.
Latest Commentary Previously Published by Others
Opinion: An uncertain path to a cleaner future – Zero carbon electricity legislation in New York and California
Last month, New York passed the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act, which calls for a carbon free electricity market by 2040. With passage of this law, New York became the sixth state to pass legislation calling for a carbon free electricity market. Just one year earlier, California passed similar legislation, SB100, adopting a state policy to achieve a zero-carbon electricity market by 2045. … Read More →
Gov. Jerry Brown’s carbon-free legacy to require financial sacrifices
Jerry Brown publicly denies harboring thoughts of the legacy of his record 16 years as California’s governor. When a reporter asked Brown about it in January, Brown replied, with a characteristic smirk, “Can you tell me the legacy of Goodwin Knight? Or Gov. (Frank) Merriam? Or (George) Deukmejian? Governors don’t have legacies. That’s my No. 1 proposition.” … Read More →
World-Renowned Scientists: California Must Operate on 100 Percent Clean Electricity
OAKLAND, Calif. —Amid a summer of record-setting heat and wildfires exacerbated by climate change, 37 scientists signed a letter published today in the Sacramento Bee, calling on state legislators to pass Senate Bill 100, the “100 Percent Clean Energy Act of 2018.” … Read More →
Letters to the Editor: Those Sunny California Solar Numbers Miss a Lot
Regarding “The Phony Numbers Behind California’s Solar Mandate” (op-ed, Aug. 13): The economics of the solar mandate will be even worse than described in Steven Sexton’s devastating critique. As intermittent solar power becomes an increasingly large portion of the total electric power supply, there will need to be proportionately more intermittently idle capacity standing by for cloudy days. … Read More →
Opinion: The Phony Numbers Behind California’s Solar Mandate
California’s energy regulators effectively cooked the books to justify their recent command that all homes built in the Golden State after 2020 be equipped with solar panels. Far from a boon to homeowners, the costs to builders and home buyers will likely far exceed the benefits to the state. … Read More →
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