You’re now witnessing a historical moment for clean energy. California became the first state in the U.S. that demands that all new homes are built with rooftop solar panels.
On Wednesday, the California Energy Commission voted unanimously in favor of this rule.
From January 1st, 2020, every new home with less than three stories built in California will have to include solar panels on the roof.
It doesn’t matter if the house is an apartment building or a family home, solar panels are mandatory. The only exempt buildings are those built in the shade or with roofs too small to support solar panels.
In terms of costs, the California Energy Commission says that this measure should only add $10,000 in upfront building costs and save more than $19,000 in terms of energy bill savings over a 30 year period.
Of course, the decision is also a boon for solar panel makers; demand for Tesla’s solar roof tiles will probably skyrocket.
Meanwhile, in China, solar energy-harvesting roads are being built to charge in-motion electric cars.
At this moment, it’s estimated that around 9% of single-family detached homes in California rely on solar panels to support their energy consumption.
If you’re curious how much you could save using solar power, this energy calculator shows some very encouraging numbers.
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