California Court Considers Solar Subsidies as Excess Solar Drives Panel Shutoffs

The California Supreme Court is soon hearing a case that could determine the future of California solar energy. Under new solar metering rules, owners of solar panels on homes and buildings are paid for the value of the energy they produce, which is less than the earlier standard of the net difference in energy produced and consumed; abundant solar energy generated during the day is of lower grid value than fossil fuel and battery provided energy used at night. Solar subsidy proponents argue the new rules don’t factor in the social benefits of self-generated solar, while the California Public Utilities Commission and lower state courts have said the new rules meet the legislature’s order to improve equity between generating and non-generating customers; households with rooftop solar tend to have double the median income of non-solar households.