California Pioneers a New Environmental Mission

The state of California is about to mandate solar panels for all new homes.

The California Energy Commission will hold a vote on Wednesday, May 9, to determine if this standard will become effective.

The requirement would apply to all homes, condos, and apartment buildings up to three stories high–with exemptions for structures that either cannot fit solar panels, are built in the shade, or are equipt with other energy-saving measures–beginning January 1 of 2020.

San Francisco already enforces their city-wide law that buildings under ten stories must be fitted with solar panels. However, if this measure passes, as it is expected to, then California will become the first state in the US to require solar power installations on all new homes. Minnesota and New Jersey have also been pursuing a heavy reliance on solar power, but neither has begun to take the steps that the golden state has.

Less than 20% of single-family homes in California currently utilize solar panels, meaning that the new standard would seriously impact the state’s overall energy consumption. While the cost to build new homes could skyrocket to upwards of $25,000 more, experts believe that the money spent would be saved over time in energy bills.

California is making solar panels a requirement for new homes pic.twitter.com/TgiXINb2F8

— NowThis (@nowthisnews) May 8, 2018