California may cut rooftop solar incentives as market booms

By KATHLEEN RONAYNE
Associated Press

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — California’s rooftop solar market is the largest in the nation but is poised for changes by state regulators who could lower financial benefits for homeowners who install solar panels. California Public Utilities Commission regulators are set to issue proposed reforms this week for a program called net energy metering. It allows solar customers to sell energy they don’t need back into the power grid for energy bill discounts. Utilities, consumer advocates and some environmental groups say incentives for people who put panels on rooftops are too generous. They say rooftop solar customers don’t ppay their fair share to maintain the energy grid cost, driving bills up for everyone else.