KQED's Forum California Rooftop Solar Is at a Crossroads
Jun 9, 2025
Sammy Roth, climate columnist for The L.A. Times, joins Mohit Chhabra from the NRDC and Bernadette Del Chiaro from the Environmental Working Group to dissect the future of California's rooftop solar. They explore the precarious balance between utility regulations and incentives that have historically favored solar adoption. As new policies threaten to undermine these gains, they discuss the implications for consumers and the state’s renewable energy goals. The conversation highlights the growing tension between centralized utility power and decentralized solar energy.
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California's Rooftop Solar Scale
- California has installed rooftop solar on about 15% of buildings, adding 18 gigawatts of clean energy.
- This amount equals the combined output of four Hoover dams and five Diablo Canyon nuclear plants.
Cost Shift Explained
- Rooftop solar users pay less for fixed grid costs, shifting those costs to non-solar customers.
- The grid’s maintenance and infrastructure expenses don’t decrease with reduced electricity usage.
Rooftop Solar Reduces Grid Costs
- Wide deployment of rooftop solar can reduce overall grid costs by lessening the need for centralized investments.
- Utilities' increasing expenditures and profit incentives drive higher electricity rates despite solar benefits.