We have built 1.2 million rooftop solar systems in the state of California.Bernadette Del Chiaro, the Executive Director of the California Solar and Storage Association, discusses the importance of net-metering, an electric utility billing program that credits solar energy owners for the surplus electricity they add to the grid. For a transcript, please visit https://climatebreak.org/rooftop-solar-with-bernadette-del-chiaro/
For a transcript, please visit https://climatebreak.org/rooftop-solar-with-bernadette-del-chiaro/
Ms. Del Chiaro: If you think about it, we have built 1.2 million rooftop solar systems in the state of California.
Ethan: That’s Bernadette Del Chiaro, Executive Director of the California Solar and Storage Association.
Ms. Del Chiaro: What our vision is, is that all of those millions of roofs and batteries are tied together in what we call a virtual power plant, so that it's not simply becoming an island unto yourself, but rather participate in a community-wide micro-grid that allows us to take advantage of the sunshine that falls on our roofs or on our parking lots, store it in that battery and then we can share it, either covering our own needs or sharing it with our neighbor.
Ethan: Bernadette mentions the importance of net-metering, an electric utility billing program that credits solar energy owners for the surplus electricity they add to the grid.
Ms. Del Chiaro: We only install batteries on maybe 15% of the solar systems we build every year. We need to get that up to 90 to 100%. That's not going to happen overnight. We need our policies like net-metering to work with the marketplace, consumers and businesses, to achieve that vision.
Ethan: For more information on how rooftop solar and batteries can support the grid and save consumers money, and for more climate solutions, visit our website at climatebreak.org. I’m Ethan Elkind, and this was Climate Break.