After Californiaandrsquo;s Building Standards Commission gave the final approval, solar panels will be required on all new houses throughout the state starting in 2020. California is the first state in the country to make it mandatory to install solar panels on new homes.
California's Solar Panel Requirement
This rule applies to all single-family homes, as well as apartment and condominium complexes of up to three stories, after January 1, 2020. In addition, there is an exemption for heavily shaded homes and incentives for those in particularly sunny areas to install a high-capacity battery to store energy from the sun.
Due to the cost-effectiveness of solar installations, over 15,000 homes that are built each year in the state include a system. By 2020, the number of California homes with solar should rise to 80,000.
The stateandrsquo;s environmental policies have often set the trend for the rest of the country to follow. California plans to draw 100 percent of its electricity from renewable energy sources, resulting in a significant reduction in greenhouse gas emissions.
The California Energy Commission endorsed the solar panels rule back in May as part of the stateandrsquo;s Green Building Standards Code. In a public hearing in December, the Building Standards Commission listened to opinions on the matter prior to unanimously voting 5-0 to approve it.
Due to the mandatory solar panel installations and other home improvements, the state predicts the upfront cost of a home will increase by $9,500, which is $40 a month over a mortgage agreement of 30 years. However, officials say lower electrical bills will balance the price out over time.
In the course of a 30-year mortgage, a homeowner will save $19,000 or approximately 80 a month on their utility bills.
At Valley Heating, Cooling, Electrical, and Solar, we offer a wide variety of solar services in San Jose and throughout Santa Clara County.
If you are interested in making the switch to solar, contact us and learn more today.