Supporters of expanded access to rooftop solar (Photo – Cheryl Auger)
On Monday, June 1, 2021, supporters of expanded access to rooftop solar staged a protest highlighting glaring issues with AB 1139 bill, dubbed the “Utility Profit Grab”.
By Cheryl Auger
AB 1139, co-authored by Assemblymember Wendy Carrillo and supported by PG&E, SDG&E and SCE, seeks to make rooftop solar prohibitively expensive just as it is becoming within reach of millions of working- and middle-class families. The bill, if passed, would likely result in new fees on solar customers $70 on average each month and reduce the credit they receive for the extra solar energy they share with the neighbors by 80%. The protesters argued that the utilities’ rationale for cutting rooftop solar was incorrect, that the bill would kill future solar installations and businesses along with negatively impacting the climate goals that have been set in Los Angeles by Mayor Garcetti and by Governor Newsom for the state of California.
The protesters outside of Carrilo’s Echo Park office also brought attention to the money that the utilities had paid the Assemblymembers, wondering if a fair vote could even happen. In the first committee meeting, all attending Assemblymembers either voted in favor of this bill or didn’t vote. Since then, lawmakers have been flooded with over 20,000 emails and phone calls from constituents, as well as a wall of opposition from over 100 local and statewide environmental and progressive organizations, asking Assemblymembers to stand up to the utilities and protect the public’s interest.
The protest on June 1 in Echo Park brought out dozens of people despite the heat and the ozone air quality warning. Another vote will be brought before the Assembly within the next day before this session closes. Many solar advocates are grateful that some Assemblymembers are starting to vote no or not vote, in opposition to this bill. Advocates are asking the public to keep the up the pressure.
AB1139 is opposed by hundreds of groups including California Solar and Storage Association, Solar Alliance, Sierra Club, Center for Biological Diversity, Climate Hawks Vote, Defenders of Wildlife, Indivisible Green Team, National Parks Conservation Association, Glendale Environmental Coalition and SoCal350.
Hmm. California needs to do everything they can to let Solar companies GROW. I understand this sharing idea, but it must be delayed 5-10 years until Solar companies can become profitable/stable and costs can come down. This bill is like charging a Tesla owner a 20,000 additional tax fee, it would have killed the entire EV industry and not allowed it to grow and become affordable