California will still require rooftop solar panels on new homes – at least for now. (2019, November 14). Retrieved March 8, 2020, from https://www.latimes.com/environment/story/2019-11-13/california-will-still-require-rooftop-solar-panels-on-new-homes-at-least-for-now
The article discusses the California home solar mandate which requires all the new homes in California past a certain year to be built with solar panels. In Sacramento, they declined a program that would enable new houses to be built without solar panels. The argument for the program said that building new houses exclusively with solar would drive the prices of houses up too much. Instead, they proposed houses could be built without solar panels, but use offsite solar energy as their main source of power.
Upon reading this article, I was impressed by the California state legislature. I thought that after having passed the bill, they may begin to waver. I assumed that after having passed it, there would be some complication or third party that would try to corrupt and influence state officials to repeal this decision. Upon having read this article, my trust in the officials of California has been reinvigorated. I now know that California is truly a state following progressive ideals in the face of adversity and one that is worth following from the other states in the U.S. Although this article mostly discusses policy, it still has to do with environmental science in that with this program the country takes its first serious steps toward renewable energy.
This is an interesting development. Of course we want to see CA continue to take leadership on env. issues. I have to wonder though- does this take away some choice to the consumer? I think there are valid arguments to be made that solar isn’t always the best choice, and can sometimes complicate how to manage the grid… which then requires fossil fuels to make up the difference for when the sun isn’t shining. Hard call- what is your opinion on solar power plants in the desert? Are they better than on household roofs, or should we do both?
I think this is a difficult situation and there’s not a clear cut answer as to what we should do. It’s my opinion that regardless of the situation we should take the most carbon neutral route. However, I think the default should be to put solar panels on houses, but I know that’s not always an option.