(a) In order to further the state goal of encouraging the installation of 3,000 megawatts of photovoltaic solar energy in California within 10 years, the governing body of a local publicly owned electric utility that sells electricity at retail, shall adopt, implement, and finance a solar initiative program, funded in accordance with subdivision (b), for the purpose of investing in, and encouraging the increased installation of, residential and commercial solar energy systems.
(b) On or before January 1, 2008, a local publicly owned electric utility shall offer monetary incentives for the installation of solar energy systems of at least two dollars and eighty cents ($2.80) per installed watt, or for the electricity produced by the solar energy system, measured in kilowatthours, as determined by the governing board of a local publicly owned electric utility, for photovoltaic solar energy systems. The incentive level shall decline each year thereafter at a rate of no less than an average of 7 percent per year.
(c) A local publicly owned electric utility shall initiate a public proceeding to fund a solar energy program to adequately support the goal of installing 3,000 megawatts of photovoltaic solar energy in California. The proceeding shall determine what additional funding, if any, is necessary to provide the incentives pursuant to subdivision (b). The public proceeding shall be completed and the comprehensive solar energy program established by January 1, 2008.
(d) The solar energy program of a local publicly owned electric utility shall be consistent with all of the following:
(1) That a solar energy system receiving monetary incentives comply with the eligibility criteria, design, installation, and electrical output standards or incentives established by the Energy Commission pursuant to Section 25782 of the Public Resources Code.
(2) That solar energy systems receiving monetary incentives are intended primarily to offset part or all of the consumer’s own electricity demand.
(3) That all components in the solar energy system are new and unused, and have not previously been placed in service in any other location or for any other application.
(4) That the solar energy system has a warranty of not less than 10 years to protect against defects and undue degradation of electrical generation output.
(5) That the solar energy system be located on the same premises of the end-use consumer where the consumer’s own electricity demand is located.
(6) That the solar energy system be connected to the local publicly owned electric utility’s electrical distribution system within the state.
(7) That the solar energy system has meters or other devices in place to monitor and measure the system’s performance and the quantity of electricity generated by the system.
(8) That the solar energy system be installed in conformance with the manufacturer’s specifications and in compliance with all applicable electrical and building code standards.
(e) In establishing the program required by this section, no moneys shall be diverted from any existing programs for low-income ratepayers, or from cost-effective energy efficiency or demand response programs.
(f) The statewide expenditures for solar programs adopted, implemented, and financed by local publicly owned electric utilities shall be seven hundred eighty-four million dollars ($784,000,000). The expenditure level for each local publicly owned electric utility shall be based on that utility’s percentage of the total statewide load served by all local publicly owned electric utilities. Expenditures by a local publicly owned electric utility may be less than the utility’s cap amount, provided that funding is adequate to provide the incentives required by subdivisions (a) and (b).
(Amended by Stats. 2019, Ch. 396, Sec. 37. (AB 1513) Effective January 1, 2020.)