California's Solar Power Culture Experiencing Growing Pains

When mom and pop produce more electricity from their rooftop solar array than they use, that electricity is "sold" back to the utility they are connected to. This is called "net-metering". A home with a solar array has a meter running to monitor electrical use and output. California utility companies like PG&E can only accept up to 2.5% of "their" electricity from solar energy producing homeowners.

PG&E and other California utility companies are getting closer to that 2.5% quota or "Cap."

Problem: If the "cap" isn't raised, solar installations could still take place but would "drastically reduce the economic benefit" said Adam Browning, executive director of "Vote Solar." Not raising the cap could effectively shut down some companies who install rooftop solar panel systems as their business model because of fewer customers wanting installations.

Critics of solar power say raising the cap on what utilities can accept from homeowners can make the California electrical "grid" unstable. The grid will now not only have current homeowners adding power to it but many additional solar installations are coming up as well. They ask how will the grid handle all this additional power and what will be the ramifications.

The solar power industry is naturally up in arms about the state imposed cap of 2.5%. That limit may be reached this year, certainly next year says Sara Birmingham of "Solar Alliance." Solar Alliance is the sponsor of a bill that if passed would raise the cap in California to 10%.

The California State Assembly already passed the bill, but next year California's state senate votes on the issue. People who want to install solar rooftop systems and save on their energy bills had better contact their state senators and let them know what you think about this bill and the cap issue.