California Solar Panel Requirement Drives Up Housing Costs

How many new homes will get solar after jan.

California solar panel requirement drives up housing costs.

California is among the top states in the u s. California predicts mandatory solar panel installations will add nearly 10 000 to the upfront cost of a home money that will be recouped through energy savings. Roughly 110 000 new housing units are built every year in california. The california solar mandate is part of an initiative by the california energy.

The solar pv requirement only applies to new buildings under three stories tall. By now you might have heard that california passed a law requiring all newly built homes to be equipped with a solar power system. California became the first state in the nation to make solar mandatory for new houses. We ve just published our 2020 ca solar mandate calculator to help you figure out what size solar system you will need under the new requirements.

But it s starting to look like the mandate wasn t quite a mandate. Beginning in 2020 newly constructed homes must have solar panels which could be costly for homeowners. California s 2019 building energy efficiency standards officially take effect on january 1 2020. Overall 6 6 of california homes now have solar panels.

High levels of solar irradiance high electric costs the 26 federal tax credit and their net metering policy ensures that residents will benefit immensely from installing solar panels in california. The california energy commission predicted that the new solar power law will increase the initial costs of housing by 9 500 on average but could save as much as 19 000 in the long run in energy savings over a 30 year period.