In 2006 the California Public Utilities Commission adopted the California Solar Initiative (CSI) as part of the state’s Go Solar California Campaign.
The goal of the program is to increase the capacity of California’s solar energy production, thereby reducing greenhouse gas emissions and decreasing the overall negative impact on the environment.
To accomplish this goal the state implemented a series of rebates and other initiatives to drive solar use.
The most recent update as part of the California Solar Initiative came in May 2018 when the California Energy Commission approved new regulation concerning new construction of low-rise residential buildings, and changes California’s Building Energy Efficiency Standards.
The mandate, effective January 1, 2020, and a first of its kind within the United States, requires solar photovoltaic (PV) systems installed on all new homes.
It’s a move that, according to their press release, will be as effective as removing 115,000 fossil-fueled cars from the road and reduce the energy use of new homes by fifty percent.
The new Standards also establish requirements for newly constructed healthcare facilities.
Below, you’ll find everything you need to know about the update to the California Solar Initiative.
What are Building Energy Efficiency Standards?
They’re part of the mandatory regulations governing California, but individual county and city offices are responsible for verifying and enforcing compliance.
The Standards were originally adopted into the CCR in 1977 and are updated every three years by the California Energy Commission. The Energy Commission aims to “conserve electricity and natural gas and prevent the state from having to build more power plants.”
The Standards apply to newly constructed buildings and additions as well as new alterations to existing buildings. They’re intended to entice builders to use the most energy efficient materials and technologies available, while maintaining the overall cost-effectiveness to homeowners.
What are the newest changes to The Standards & the California Solar Initiative?
The Standards offer a multi-pronged approach towards enhancing environmental quality and reducing energy consumption.
The California Solar Initiative requirement for solar panels on newly built residences is just one of several changes that start in 2020.
Other improvements are intended to prevent heat transfer between the interior and exterior of a building, enhance lighting requirements, and improve indoor air quality. Those are accomplished through measures such as these:
- Builders and homeowners are encouraged to use demand responsive technologies such as water heaters that use a heat pump, and battery storage. Builders can receive a 25% compliance credit towards the amount of PV they are required to deploy.
- Commercial structures and family homes over four stories must comply with rules concerning windows, doors, and ventilation systems.
- Non-residential buildings must be test the efficiency of such things as kitchen exhaust hoods, insulation, and blower doors.
- Voluntary options to install technology that shifts energy usage during peak and non-peak times.
How much will the new Standards cost?
The initial cost of a newly constructed home is estimated to increase by about $9500 due to 2019 Standards.
Some builders disagree with this estimate and calculate as much as a $30,000 increase in the total cost of a home.
But the Energy Commission expects homeowners to save $19,000 over the course of a typical thirty year mortgage in usage and maintenance expenses.
Homeowners should anticipate that the total cost of a new home will rise about $40 a month as a result of the new requirement.
But these same homeowners should see their monthly heating, cooling, and lighting costs decrease by an average of $80.
The Energy Commission based these estimates on the assumption that homes would have access to and utilize multiple types of fuel, not just solar or just electric.
They anticipate that homeowners will regularly use natural gas as well as other fuels, and will change their fuel source based on cost.
It’s worth mentioning that many sources note that even without these changes solar panels are already being widely used with the construction of new single-family homes at a rate of about 15,000 installations per year.
That number is expected to reach upwards of 80,000 by the time these California Solar Initiative regulations become effective.
How much energy and money will the Standards save?
The press release issued by the Energy Commission compared the energy efficiency of these new regulations to that of the previous update in 2016.
They estimate that homes built to the new standards will use about 7% less energy than homes built to the 2016 standards. When rooftop solar electricity is factored in that estimate jumps to a whopping 53% energy savings.
That should lead to overall cost savings that can be felt on monthly power bills of those homes.
Non-residential buildings should experience thirty percent less energy usage from the enhanced lighting requirements. Once updated windows, insulation, and ventilation are factored in those building owners should see even more savings.
The state contends that greenhouse gas emissions will be reduced by about 700,000 metric tons over the course of three years.
Detractors of the new initiatives point to California’s high traffic population as the main source of greenhouse emissions and poor air quality, and argue that the savings estimated by the Energy Commission is not enough to offset that pollution.
Are the new residential Standards a move towards “zero net energy?”
In 2008 California set a goal for itself that new homes and commercial buildings would reach such high efficiency that renewable energy could meet the state’s annual energy needs. The target dates are 2020 for residential and 2030 for commercial buildings.
Without a doubt newer homes will be better equipped to meet those demands but the Energy Commission points out that the more important characteristic is the home’s ability to produce and consume energy at appropriate times.
It’s their goal that homes can respond to the ever-changing needs of the power grid they are a part of.
Policies such as the Renewable Portfolio Standards (RPS) and Net Energy Metering rules (NEM) that affect the value of power generated from rooftop solar panels have gone a long way towards creating a cleaner electrical grid.
Regardless of if you are in favor of the new California Solar Initiative regulations, it’s something we must get used to.
Mwaka 2006, Tume ya Huduma za Umma ya California ilipitisha mpango wa California Solar Initiative (CSI) kama sehemu ya kampeni ya Go Solar California. Lengo la mpango huo ni kuongeza uwezo wa uzalishaji wa nishati ya jua ya California, na hivyo kupunguza uzalishaji wa gesi za chafu na kupunguza athari mbaya kwa mazingira. Ili kutimiza lengo hili serikali ilianzisha mfululizo wa punguzo na mipango mingine ya kuendesha matumizi ya jua. Mkataba wa California Solar Initiative ulianza kutumika mnamo Mei 2018, wakati Tume ya Nishati ya California ilipokubali kanuni mpya kuhusu ujenzi mpya wa majengo ya makazi ya chini, na kubadilisha viwango vya ufanisi wa nishati ya jengo la California. Sheria hiyo, ambayo itaanza kutumika Januari 1, 2020, inahitaji mfumo wa jua wa photovoltaic (PV) kuwekwa kwenye nyumba zote mpya. Hatua hiyo, kulingana na taarifa yao ya vyombo vya habari, itakuwa na ufanisi kama kuondoa magari 115,000 ya mafuta ya makaa ya mawe barabarani na kupunguza matumizi ya nishati ya nyumba mpya kwa asilimia 50. Viwango vipya pia kuanzisha mahitaji kwa ajili ya vifaa vya huduma ya afya mpya kujengwa. Chini, utapata kila kitu unahitaji kujua kuhusu update kwa California Solar Initiative. Viwango vya Ufanisi wa Nishati ya Majengo ni nini? Wao ni sehemu ya kanuni za lazima zinazosimamia California, lakini ofisi za kaunti na jiji za mtu binafsi zinawajibika kwa kuthibitisha na kutekeleza kufuata. Viwango vya CCR vimeanzishwa mnamo 1977 na ni mara kwa mara mara kwa miaka mitatu na Tume ya Nishati ya California. Tume ya Nishati inakusudia <unk>kuhifadhi umeme na gesi asilia na kuzuia serikali kutoka kuwa na kujenga mitambo zaidi ya umeme.<unk> Viwango vinatumika kwa majengo mapya na nyongeza pamoja na mabadiliko mapya kwa majengo yaliyopo. Wao ni lengo la kushawishi wajenzi kutumia vifaa zaidi nishati ufanisi na teknolojia inapatikana, wakati kudumisha jumla ya gharama ya ufanisi kwa wamiliki wa nyumba. Ni mabadiliko gani mapya kwa Viwango na California Solar Initiative? Viwango hutoa mbinu ya pande nyingi kuelekea kuboresha ubora wa mazingira na kupunguza matumizi ya nishati. California Solar Initiative (CSI) inataka kuwa na paneli za jua katika nyumba mpya zilizojengwa, na inatarajia kuwa na mabadiliko ya hali ya hewa katika majengo ya nyumba za ujenzi. Mabadiliko mengine yanakusudiwa kuzuia uhamisho wa joto kati ya ndani na nje ya jengo, kuboresha mahitaji ya taa, na kuboresha ubora wa hewa ya ndani. Hizi ni kukamilika kwa njia ya hatua kama vile: - wajenzi na wamiliki wa nyumba ni kuhamasishwa kutumia mahitaji ya majibu ya teknolojia kama vile maji ya joto kwamba kutumia pampu ya joto, na kuhifadhi betri. Watengenezaji wanaweza kupokea mikopo ya kufuata 25% kwa kiasi cha PV wanachohitaji kupeleka. - Majengo ya kibiashara na nyumba za familia zenye orofa zaidi ya nne lazima zifanye kulingana na sheria zinazohusu madirisha, milango, na mifumo ya uingizaji hewa. - Majengo yasiyo ya makazi lazima yajaribiwe ufanisi wa mambo kama vile hoods exhaus ya jikoni, insulation, na milango ya blower. - Chaguzi za hiari za kufunga teknolojia ambayo hubadilisha matumizi ya nishati wakati wa kilele na wakati usio wa kilele. Viwango vipya vitagharimu kiasi gani? Gharama ya kwanza ya nyumba mpya ya ujenzi inakadiriwa kuongezeka kwa karibu $ 9,500 kwa sababu ya viwango vya 2019. Baadhi ya wajenzi wanakubaliana na makadirio haya na kuhesabu ongezeko la $ 30,000 katika gharama ya jumla ya nyumba. Tume ya Nishati inatarajia wamiliki wa nyumba kuokoa $ 19,000 katika kipindi cha kawaida cha miaka 30 ya mkopo wa nyumba katika matumizi na gharama za matengenezo. Wamiliki wa nyumba wanapaswa kutarajia kwamba gharama ya jumla ya nyumba mpya itaongezeka karibu $ 40 kwa mwezi kama matokeo ya mahitaji mapya. Kwa mfano, kwa mfano, katika nchi za Ulaya, gharama za joto, baridi, na taa zinapungua kwa wastani wa dola za Marekani. Tume ya Nishati ilitegemea makadirio haya kwa dhana kwamba nyumba zitakuwa na upatikanaji na kutumia aina nyingi za mafuta, sio tu jua au umeme tu. Wanasema kuwa wamiliki wa nyumba watatumia gesi ya asili na mafuta mengine kwa ukawaida na watabadilisha chanzo cha mafuta kulingana na gharama. "Kuna taarifa kwamba hata bila mabadiliko haya, paneli za jua tayari zinatumiwa sana katika ujenzi wa nyumba mpya za familia moja kwa kiwango cha karibu 15,000 za mitambo kwa mwaka. """ Idadi hiyo inatarajiwa kufikia zaidi ya 80,000 wakati kanuni hizi za California Solar Initiative zinapoanza kutumika. Viwango hivyo vitaokoa nishati na pesa ngapi? Taarifa ya vyombo vya habari iliyotolewa na Tume ya Nishati ililinganisha ufanisi wa nishati wa kanuni hizi mpya na ile ya sasisho la awali mnamo 2016. Kulingana na ripoti hiyo, nyumba zilizojengwa kulingana na viwango vipya vya umeme zitatumia nishati kidogo kwa asilimia 7 ikilinganishwa na nyumba zilizojengwa kulingana na viwango vya umeme vya mwaka 2016. Kwa mfano, ikiwa umeme wa jua wa paa unahesabiwa, inakadiriwa kuwa inahesabu uokoaji wa nishati wa 53%. Hii inamaanisha kuwa gharama za jumla za kuokoa zinaweza kuonekana kwenye bili za umeme za kila mwezi za nyumba. Majengo yasiyo ya makazi yanapaswa kupata matumizi ya nishati ya chini ya asilimia thelathini kutokana na mahitaji ya taa yaliyoimarishwa. Mara tu madirisha yaliyotengenezwa upya, insulation, na uingizaji hewa zinapohesabiwa katika hizo wamiliki wa majengo wanapaswa kuona akiba zaidi. Serikali ya Marekani imesema itapunguza uzalishaji wa gesi za chafu kwa takriban tani 700,000 kwa kipindi cha miaka mitatu. Wakosoaji wa mpango huo wanasema kuwa idadi kubwa ya watu wanaosafiri katika barabara za California ndio chanzo kikuu cha uzalishaji wa gesi chafu na hali mbaya ya hewa, na wanasema kwamba mapato ya Tume ya Nishati hayatoshi kulipa kodi ya uchafuzi huo. "Kama ilivyoelezwa katika sheria ya 2008 ya ""Nishati ya Nuru,"" California ilijitolea kufikia lengo la nyumba mpya na majengo ya kibiashara kufikia ufanisi wa juu sana kwamba nishati mbadala inaweza kukidhi mahitaji ya kila mwaka ya nishati ya jimbo." Tarehe za lengo ni 2020 kwa majengo ya makazi na 2030 kwa majengo ya kibiashara. Bila shaka nyumba mpya zitakuwa na vifaa bora vya kukidhi mahitaji hayo, lakini Tume ya Nishati inabainisha kuwa sifa muhimu zaidi ni uwezo wa nyumba ya kuzalisha na kutumia nishati wakati unaofaa. Ni lengo lao kwamba nyumba zinaweza kujibu mahitaji ya kubadilika daima ya mtandao wa umeme wao ni sehemu ya. Mipango kama vile Viwango vya Portfolio ya Renewable (RPS) na Kanuni za Upimaji wa Nishati ya Nishati (NEM) ambazo zinaathiri thamani ya nishati inayotokana na paneli za jua za paa zimepita njia ndefu kuelekea kuunda gridi safi ya umeme. Bila kujali kama wewe ni kwa ajili ya sheria mpya California Solar Initiative, ni kitu lazima kupata kutumika kwa.