California town of Sebastopol will require solar panels on all new homes

[xchrom]

http://grist.org/news/sebastopol-requiring-solar-panels-on-all-new-homes/

***SNIP

From the Santa Rosa Press Democrat:

Sebastopol’s ordinance would require new residential and commercial buildings — as well as major additions and remodelings — to include a photovoltaic energy-generation system.

The system would have to provide 2 watts of power per square foot of insulated building area or offset 75 percent of the building’s annual electric load.

In situations where solar power is impractical, such as shaded areas, new buildings may use other energy alternatives or pay a fee.

[abelenkpe]

1. Yes!!!!!!!!!!!

Every home in CA should have solar panels.

[Baitball Blogger]

2. Now that's setting a standard.

Once people begin to feel it's a regular item, it will force others to follow suit.

[kristopher]

3. Solar set to be 97% of all new CA generation in 2nd half of 2013

Solar to Account for Almost All New Generation in California System in 2H 2013
HERMAN K. TRABISH: APRIL 30, 2013

Almost all of the new generation capacity in the California transmission system operator’s queue for the second half of 2013 is solar -- 97 percent, to be exact.

There are 1,633 megawatts of new generation capacity in the 2H 2013 queue, according to the 2012 Annual Report on Market Issues and Performance from the California Independent System Operator (the ISO). Of that, 1,581 megawatts are new solar and 52 megawatts are biomass.

By the end of the first half of the year, the ISO will have added 3,391 megawatts of nameplate capacity, of which 2,296 megawatts will be natural gas, 565 megawatts will be wind and 530 megawatts will be solar.

However, what is in the ISO’s queue is not necessarily what will end up in the state’s energy mix, REC Solar Director of Governmental Affairs Ben Higgins pointed out.

But in this report...

http://www.greentechmedia.com/articles/read/all-new-generation-in-california-system-for-2h-2013-to-be-solar-and-biomass?utm_source=Solar&utm_medium=Picture&utm_campaign=GTMDaily

[xchrom]

4. +1

[oldhippie]

5. It will be interesting to see how this plays out ....

Compliance, resale values, developers moving elsewhere, cost issues ...

Lots of things to watch here.