CCEnergy advocates for strong solar energy policy

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The democratic process goes well beyond casting a ballot. Once in office, officials need to hear the voice of people to guide their decisions. Almost since its inception, CCEnergy has been at the forefront of letting legislators and officials know the importance of people's energy rights.

Energy is particularly politically charged in California with giant utility and oil and gas companies competing in a complex legislative environment. More than 150 years of legislation supports large-scale, centralized electricity generation. To level the playing field and bring clean, renewable, distributed generation to communities, CCEnergy participates in the political process as a necessary part of our sustainable business plan.

Current renewable energy advocacy

During the 2004 California legislative session, CCEnergy was actively involved in seeking sensible renewable energy policies that benefit all segments of the market. Unfortunately, like so many other issues in California, energy policymaking is fraught with pressure from special interests seeking to gain as much control as possible of the state's energy market to maximize profit, frequently to the detriment of renewable energy industry's long-term health and certainly not always in the best interests of California energy consumers.

Recently CCEnergy has joined with others in the solar community -- both industry members and consumers -- to support comprehensive solar legislation, after working hard to get amendments added to a bill that would have mandated solar energy for a certain percentage of new homes built in California. While seemingly a great idea at face value and a step toward fulfilling one of Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's campaign promises, CCEnergy identified many critical oversights that would have exhausted existing renewable rebate funding and killed the solar retrofit market. After the first version of this approach (SB1652) was killed in committee, several other solar bills were crafted and introduced in the final days of the August 2004 legislative session. Read more about 2004 solar legislation in California »

Earlier this year, CCEnergy was also part of a lobbying effort to obtain the release of $125 million allocated to the Self-Generation Incentive Program (SGIP) for systems larger than 30kW. Unfortunately, despite legislation authorizing additional funding, Assembly Bill 1685, "administrative challenges" held up the funds, leading to a recent announcement from PG&E to suspend accepting reservations for SGIP rebates for large solar installations. Currently CCEnergy is lobbying for replenished funding of this program as part of the campaign for comprehensive solar legislation.

CCEnergy's advocacy track record

Since its inception in 2001, CCEnergy has played a significant role in shaping California's renewable energy policies, championing the right of Californians to choose solar energy, and protecting and supporting programs to make solar increasingly viable and affordable. Here are some of the success stories we are proud to have participated in, all made possible by the collective, grassroots actions of our members, friends, and partner organizations.

Departing load tax on solar averted

In 2003, CCEnergy lead a successful lobbying effort to prevent the California Public Utilities Commission from approving a tax on customers who produce electricity from solar systems. Pacific Gas & Electric and other large, investor-owned utilities in the state wanted to impose new utility charges, also known as a "departing load taxes" or "exit fees," based on the amount of solar power each customer produced. These fees, ranging from 2 to 5 cents per kilowatt hour, would have increased the cost of using solar energy by as much as 40 percent, dramatically slowing the growth of solar energy in California. The utilities claimed the fees were needed to help reduce the debt California incurred buying expensive (and dirty) power during the 2001 energy crisis.

CCEnergy lead a letter-writing campaign to the CPUC protesting the fees, arguing that solar customers were still buying most of their power from the utilities, thus utility companies would be penalizing their own customers who effectively help to decrease demand on the power grid during peak periods. Additionally, CCEnergy pointed out that imposing such fees directly contradicted existing state policies designed to encourage expanded use of on-site solar power. The final result was a CPUC decision that exempted net-metered solar energy systems along with other renewable energy systems.

Net metering protected and extended

Getting credit for the power you produce is a right -- today and indefinitely. Net metering allows utility consumers to be credited for electricity they produce and feed back into the grid. This is important for the economic viability of grid connected solar. Assembly Bill 58 was intended to extend the net metering rights indefinitely to assure owners of solar and other grid connected self generation that they would be credited for the life of their systems. Changes introduced by utility companies during the August 2002 legislative session threatened to gut the intent of net metering law by requiring the installation of more costly metering equipment and reducing the per kWh credit. However, due to last minute lobbying by CCEnergy members and allies, the original intent of bill AB58 was restored and today we are assured that net metering is a right for solar in California.

Funding for the CEC rebate program restored

When you buy your solar system, the California Energy Commission (CEC) sends you a rebate as an incentive to go solar. During the summer 2002 legislative session, the bill enabling the CEC to continue funding this program was delayed and then killed. Fortunately, language to fund the program was inserted into a second bill, SB1038, as part of a last-minute deal and the bill passed on the final day of the session. Without this legislation, rebate funds would have been exhausted quickly, ending the most critical and most successful consumer incentive to date for purchasing solar energy. CCEnergy was at the forefront of advocating this program to be funded and today new buyers of solar for residences and small businesses benefit from this funding.

Solar Tax Credit saved from suspension

Legislation was passed in 2001 to provide a tax credit for California residents who purchase and install solar energy. In 2002, Governor Grey Davis proposed a two-year suspension of the program. Again, intensive lobbying coordinated by CCEnergy stopped this proposal from going into effect.

During the August 2002 legislative assault on pro-solar bills, CCEnergy's website became the de-facto site for accurate, up-to-the minute information for countries as far afield as Germany and for celebrities as renowned as Robert Redford and Bonnie Raitt. CCEnergy stayed in constant contact with major players, strategizing and mobilizing for carefully timed and orchestrated email, mail, and fax campaigns to key decision makers. Members of CCEnergy and the public contributed to these campaigns by sending letters and emails to key representatives.

All three of the bills voted on during the August 2002 legislative session directly affected consumer's rights and the solar energy industry. Through the efforts of CCEnergy, its members, and a mobilized ad hoc solar community at large, the Legislature passed bills with the language needed to sustain California's solar energy movement. In each case the bills directly affected the bottom-line economics of solar for energy consumers.

What you can do to help

• Sign up for our mailing list to receive news updates about renewable energy legislation, policy, and CCEnergy's advocacy activities.


• Take the time to call, email, write, or fax your representatives when you receive CCEnergy's "Solar Action Alert" emails on specific issues.


• Join CCEnergy. Become a member of our co-op to gain a voice and influence the future of renewable energy in California and nationwide. The simple act of purchasing a solar energy system is a powerful way to express support for clean, renewable energy. Being a member of an organization that champions this cause is a second way. CCEnergy is unique in that it offers both.