Supporter Quotes
California leaders weigh in on the fight to save rooftop solar
Government Officials
“Solar as you know really is fantastic not only because it creates clean energy but also it makes you independent of those utilities. The utilities are very powerful and they have big lobbying groups and they get a lot of times their way. So the more i think people concentrate on putting solar on their roof the more independent they are actually from those utilities.”
Former Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger
“We want to make solar more accessible and more easy for people to adopt. ... And so to the extent that we can ensure that it's affordable and not add additional barriers, I think that's a message that resounds across the country.”
U.S. Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm
“If state regulators slash the rewards, "that will be very damaging to solar in California. It will send a loud message to the rest of the country that California is not fully committed to a clean energy future.”
“Our utilities have been very effective at putting a bad light on net metering... Given our ambition to get rooftop solar on every single roof, then it would not be subsidizing some at the expense of others.”
“I am concerned about surcharges being imposed and creating more barriers; I think it'll have equity impacts… We call on the CPUC and Governor Newsom to do the right thing.”
Faith Leaders
“At a time when CO2 levels are at record highs… we stand here today, having to come to the state, to suggest to them that perhaps you need to take your overall policy seriously, and preserve solar energy, promote solar energy, supplement solar energy…”
Reverend John Current, Hope United Methodist Church
“We are happy to be working with rooftop solar advocates to protect and strengthen net metering, advocate for additional policies that will help bring rooftop solar and battery storage to communities of color, and educate solar buyers on their consumer rights.”
Social Justice Leaders
“AB 1139 would effectively end school solar energy projects that allow schools to continue to educate students through disruptions caused by rolling blackouts and public safety power shutoffs… These projects are also essential to our ability to continue to operate the meal programs on which our most vulnerable children rely.”
Nancy Chaires Espinoza of Schools Energy Coalition
“Affordable and sustainable housing is a human right… We call on the Governor and CPUC to make it more affordable - not less - for tenants to have rooftop solar powering their homes.”
“The government's job is to help foster more community self-reliance, not carry out the monopoly utilities' bidding and crush community empowerment solutions like rooftop solar.”
Fatima Malik of the Del Paso Heights Growers' Alliance
“The benefits of rooftop solar are many for the communities we serve. Installing solar panels helps lower the monthly electric bills of families, the industry creates good-paying jobs, and, most importantly, the more rooftop solar, the lower the rate of dirty emissions generally and specifically in our communities.”
“Our goal is social equity… and helping residents have stable lives… The supporters of [AB 1139] are pushing a false argument that solar does nothing to help poor people, but that’s not true.”
“At a time when many of California's 18 million tenants are just fighting to remain housed, investor-owned utilities are trying to drive up their rates if their building includes rooftop solar… Renters deserve more rooftop solar, not more bailouts to PG&E, SoCal Gas, and Sempra.”
Mari Perez-Ruiz, Chair of the California Democratic Party Renters Council
“At a time when many of California's 18 million tenants are just fighting to remain housed, investor-owned utilities are trying to drive up their rates if their building includes rooftop solar… AB 1139 is a bad deal for all Californians - and especially for renters.”
Monica Madrid, Board Member of the California Democratic Party Renters Council
“In my humble opinion a cost shift is a $500 billion dollar bill for a fire… you’re utilizing my electrons that I create to sell next door at the same price for the electrons in imperial valley - that’s not right.”
Eddie Price, San Diego Urban Sustainability Coalition
“The CPUC and the electric utilities that it oversees, have... done everything that they can to protect the for profit electric utilities. The answer is residential batteries… and rooftop solar to recharge those batteries if the power outages goes longer than two or three days.”
Richard Skaff, Designing Accessible Communities
“I have been an environmental justice activist for over 20 years. I have seen a lot of public relations spin coming from big corporations. Don’t be fooled, they always put profit before people. One of the worst deceptions I’ve ever heard is the ridiculous argument big utilities use that rooftop solar is bad for environmental justice communities. The clean air benefits alone are enough for environmental justice activists to support rooftop solar.”
Environmental Leaders
“California gets that we have gone beyond a Climate Crisis to a Climate Emergency… It is all hands on deck right now and inhibiting installation of rooftop solar by those who want to participate is the wrong move at this time. The PUC needs to pause and be certain that any move it makes is right for consumers and best for the environment.”
Bill Allayaud, California Director of Government Affairs for the Environmental Working Group
“California is in a climate emergency, with record shattering heat waves, drought and wildfires spreading across the state… With so much at stake, California gutting net metering would reverse our trajectory as a leader in solving global warming right when our leadership is needed most.”
Laura Deehan, State Director of Environment California
“The real cost shift happening in California is the exorbitant sums of ratepayer money being stolen from local renewables to subsidize transmission lines — which mostly benefit the utilities, who make huge guaranteed profits from transmission spending... Transmission costs are the fastest-growing component of electricity bills in California, and deploying more rooftop solar has been shown to mitigate these costs.”
Rosana Francescato of Clean Coalition
“We need more solar where we live, local clean energy, local jobs, and local community resilience… The CPUC and the utilities are not looking at roof-top solar correctly— not seeing its benefits and giving a fair value for those benefits including better air quality and health, better land use, affordability of electricity and resiliency.”
Laura Neish, 350 Bay Area Executive Director
“Climate change is an existential emergency, and we need all hands on deck. We need solar power for everyone… The utilities need to be part of the solution, not holding us back, and the CPUC needs to be part of the solution, not carrying water for the utilities.”
Kristina Pappas, San Francisco League of Conservation Voters
Academic Experts
“They [ALEC and IOUs] have deployed what I call the playbook to systematically dismantle existing rooftop solar programs in sunny states, as well as to prevent the growth of rooftop solar in some of the poorest states, where utility customers could benefit the most… Upon examination, the playbook is merely a racial dog whistle to communities who have long distrusted the energy system due to its disproportionate harmful impacts.”
Shalanda Baker, Former Northeastern University Law School Professor
Consumer Voices
“Fully embracing rooftop solar is a no-brainer. With every new solar panel installed, we reduce our reliance on fossil fuels, keep pollution out of our communities and reduce carbon emissions… Rooftop solar benefits consumers too. Here in California, homes, schools and businesses that go solar reduce our overall need for grid investments today, while helping build the clean and resilient grid of the future.”
Jenn Engstrom, State Director of CALPIRG
“As a 22 year-old, my primary policy concern is the climate crisis, which my community is far too familiar with each fire season. Every opportunity for a home to take pressure off the grid is a step toward California’s climate goals. I urge the California Public Utilities Commission to listen to those of us trying to make a difference for our futures, not energy companies looking to profit.”
Joseph, San Rafael, CA
“Installing rooftop solar under Net Energy Metering has allowed us to not only afford solar panels, but has also allowed us to help our community by taking pressure off the grid in an affordable way. New customers, especially those on fixed incomes, should have the same opportunity to afford doing right for the community that we had when we installed solar.”
Valerie, Vista, CA
“CPUC should be finding ways to help Californians save money on their energy costs and help to improve the environment, not make it costlier and more difficult to do both. Changing Net Energy Metering for new customers will hurt all Californians.”
John, Escondido, CA
“More solar panels help take pressure off the already impacted energy grid. The California Public Utilities Commission shouldn’t consider removing Net Energy Metering, but should look at how we can continue our progress with solar.”
Marco, Fairfield CA
“Solar has been the only way my family can afford to keep the AC running in Central Valley summers, lowering our bill by $200/month. We’ve used this money to build our business instead of lining the pockets of electric companies. I am asking the California Public Utilities Commission to keep our homes cool and affordable in the summer. Don’t roll back Net Energy Metering.”
Carol, Bakersfield CA
“I implore the California Public Utilities Commission to not take away Net Energy Metering. Electric utility companies like PG&E have already caused countless damage to communities like mine, and now they want to make those of us trying to make responsible environmental choices pay extra for doing the right thing. Don’t punish new solar panel customers looking to help the environment and save on utility bills.”
Norman, Auburn CA