SAN FRANCISCO – Prominent clean energy and environmental justice organization leaders will hold a live virtual event on November 17 to discuss how California utility regulators are proposing to hobble the state’s wildly successful residential solar program, putting it financially out of reach for millions of everyday families.
Last Thursday, the California Public Utilities Commission, or CPUC, released its "Proposed Decision" to slash the incentive credits that solar customers get for the surplus energy they generate and sell back to the grid. The credits are a critical component of the current solar net metering program that allows working families struggling with the rising cost of living to keep their monthly electric bills low.
The current rooftop solar program, put in place by former Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, is the most successful solar initiative in the nation and one of the most important policies anywhere to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and fight the climate crisis. But if the CPUC’s plan goes into effect, the residential solar market will collapse – just as it has in states like Nevada that adopted similar utility-backed plans.
WHO
- Laura Deehan, State Director, Environment California
- Laura Neish, Executive Director, 350 Bay Area
- Esperanza Vielma, Executive Director, Environmental Justice Coalition for Water
- Roger Lin, Senior Attorney, Center for Biological Diversity
- Ken Cook, President, Environmental Working Group
WHEN
3:00 p.m.-4:00 p.m. PST, Thursday, November 17.
WHERE
Access the live event from EWG’s Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/events/851149116016760
There will be an opportunity to submit questions following the prepared remarks. Reporters can also watch the event live on Twitter: https://twitter.com/ewg
NOTE: The event will also be recorded and available on EWG’s Facebook page for those who are unable to attend the live event.