Solar panels on every new home 

For years, homebuilders offered solar panels as an option for homebuyers who were interested and now the California Energy Commission just mandated that this become standard fare on all new homes, starting in 2020.

This move has been in the works for a while, as California continues to strive to become a net zero emissions state. This move will go a long way toward that goal, and it is going to ensure that California is the leader in solar for a long time. 

More than that, it will show the world that solar is not only achievable, but it is affordable. It will save homeowners more money than it added to the initial home cost. 

Currently, about 100,000 homes are built each year, and only 15 percent to 20 percent of those single-family homes built include solar panels. In 2020, that number will shoot to 100 percent.

The proposed new rule would require new homes be net-zero, meaning they would produce enough solar power to offset all electricity and natural gas consumed over the course of a year.
 

All new home standards are aimed at a net-zero energy usage

In addition to widespread adoption of solar power, the new provisions include a push to increase battery storage and increase reliance on electricity over natural gas. Here are some of the highlights.
 

The new solar mandate

This would apply to all houses, condos and apartment buildings up to three stories tall that obtain building permits after Jan. 1, 2020. This would include most single-family homes, condos, and apartments. 
 

Exceptions or alternatives will be allowed

When homes are shaded by trees or buildings or when the home’s roofs are too small to accommodate solar panels exceptions or alternatives will be allowed. Although homebuilders would be able to install community solar gardens that power all the homes in the area.
 

Builders installing batteries to get compliance credits 

California sees the need for solar plus storage when the panels go dormant, so they are allowing compliance credits and some companies may not have to install as many panels because of those credits. Basically, they would use a combination of solar and battery use to handle the home’s energy needs.
 

Provisions will encourage more use of electricity over natural gas 

California also wants to reduce natural gas consumption and therefore will allow more all-electric homes. State officials say improved technology is making electric water heaters increasingly cost-effective too.
 

The road to this solar power mandate started in 2007

The mandate dates back to 2007 when the state energy commission adopted the goal of making homebuilding so efficient newly constructed buildings can be net zero energy by 2020 for residences and by 2030 for commercial buildings.

All of the current energy standards in California add about $25,000 to $30,000 to the construction costs compared with homes built to the 2006 code. Solar accounts for about $14,000 to $16,000 of that cost, with increased insulation and more efficient windows, appliances, lighting, and heating accounting for another $10,000 to $15,000.

But that $25,000 to $30,000 will result in $50,000 to $60,000 in the owner’s reduced operating costs over the 25-year life of the home’s solar system. 

One issue is that people are complaining that the added cost of these new standards can push the cost of a new home out of reach for many people in California. The truth is those costs are increasing anyway and they are small in comparison to the cost increase that happens naturally in hot real estate markets. When bathrooms and indoor plumbing was first introduced, it added to the cost of the house. When electricity became available everywhere, homes that were wired, cost more than home that didn’t have electricity. Every innovation adds to the cost of a house, but the cost is always smaller than the benefit it produces.

California is also a popular state because of innovation and the jobs that come with it. If the state was not so popular, and if jobs were not available here, it wouldn’t matter how much more a home would cost with solar on it, because no one would want to live here. The exact opposite is true.

The California economy is robust, people want to live here, and they will pay the extra price for a new home with solar installed. Experts said that people wouldn’t pay $100 a month for television and internet access, now most people pay more. Those same experts said that people wouldn’t pay $50 to $100 a month for a smartphone or device, and yet those devices are in everyone’s hands. People pay $40,000 for a truck and they live in the city and don’t haul anything. People will pay for solar on new homes and it will benefit us all.
 

This New Mandate is Good But May Not Be Enough

This new mandate is great news for the advancement of clean energy in California. If the results are favorable, this can serve as a great case study for pro-solar mandate legislation. Other states will see this and follow suit, however, this may not be enough. Last year's 2017 projections stated that California will reach retail sales target from renewable energy of 33% in 2020 and 50% in 2030. Even in combination with the new California homes mandate that only adds an average of additional 80,000 homes with solar each year.

According to the dire warning by 16,000 scientists, we need to make big changes fast in terms of our renewable energy goals. This new mandate is a great success but the fight is far from over.
 

Forward Thinking Solar Company Extends Low-Cost Scalable Solar Beyond New Homes

HahaSmart is based on the idea of making solar more affordable to a bigger portion of the U.S. population by eliminating all extra costs associated with purchasing solar panels. Partnering and working directly with top-tier solar manufacturers, HahaSmart sells homeowners the same quality panels at the lowest possible price. HahaSmart services are available in California and it allows homeowners to save 25% when they buy a solar panel system.

We believe our revolutionary new business model can help California and the entire US to reach renewable energy goals sooner by stripping down all the unnecessary extra cost when going solar. To see it for yourself use our Solar Price Checker. We challenge people to compare our solar quotes with other solar companies and see the big difference in price.

For information relating to going solar don’t forget to visit our solar blog section for more handy guides and articles.

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