Since the 1970′s, CALSEIA has advanced the common interests of California’s solar industry through their diligent and tireless efforts advocating for legislation and policy that promotes the growth of the solar industry. Employing a full-time lobbyist and full-time regulatory persons, CALSEIA has an impressive track record of policy advocation that has helped California become known as the nation’s leader in renewable energy.  Whether on behalf of the Legislature, the Governor’s Office, or state and local agencies, CALSEIA is there being the eyes, ears, and voice for its members.

LEGISLATIVE ACCOMPLISHMENTS

• California Solar Initiative
• California Solar Initiative – Thermal
• Solar Rights Act
• Solar Shade Control Act
• Solar tax credit and extensions
• Property-Tax ReassessmentExclusion and extensions
• Net Energy Metering and Compensation for Net Surplus Generation
• Eliminated time-of-use requirement for net metered customers
• Feed-in Tariff

REGULATORY ACCOMPLISHMENTS

• C-46 license for solar contractors
• Negotiated workable PV Guidelines with the State Fire Marshall
• Board of Equilization’s sales tax rules for solar contractors
• Active party in numerous proceedings at the California Public Utilities Commission and the California Energy Commission

SPECIFIC POLICY & PROGRAM INITIATIVES

• Facilitating installations through building permit and interconnection process streamlining and cost control
• Planning and implementing solar legislation and policies, including distributed generation goals, the feed-in tariff, California Solar Initiative for PV and solar heating and cooling systems
• Creating new, long-term, low-interest financing programs for solar energy systems
• Providing an “appliance” rebate for residential and commercial solar energy systems
• Maintaining California’s public database on solar energy system installations
• Supporting local government’s land-use planning for distributed generation and grid expansions
• Incentives for solar industrial process heating and electricity-displacing solar cooling applications
• Solar energy’s role in “loading order” and electricity supply-planning efforts
• Solar energy’s role in utilities’ efforts to deliver “integrated demand-side management” services to consumers
• Solar energy’s role in California’s efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emmissions
• Solar energy’s role in achieving California’s “zero net energy” building goals for homes and commercial buildings