Overview
- The Legislature approved AB 1813 over the weekend and moved the Community Renewable Energy Program Act to Governor Gavin Newsom for signature.
- The bill directs the California Public Utilities Commission to value community solar and storage using its Avoided Cost Calculator and requires paired battery storage so projects discharge during high-demand hours.
- Investor-owned utilities and the CPUC’s Public Advocates Office oppose the bill, arguing it could shift costs to customers who do not participate and citing an estimate of about $1.5 billion a year in potential cost shifts.
- Lawmakers also advanced other pro-solar measures this session, including SB 868 and AB 1738 which the governor already signed to legalize small plug-in 'balcony' solar with safety guardrails and allow remote inspections for installations.
- The push responds to a failed 2022 CPUC effort that produced no community solar projects and to studies cited by advocates projecting conservative growth of about 5.4 GW and savings near $190 per subscriber per year if a stronger program is built.