Two new California state laws aim to open opportunities for low-income families to benefit from energy efficiency investments. One law will provide funding for solar installations in multifamily affordable housing developments. The other will study obstacles faced by low-income families pursuing energy efficiency investments.
Providing $100 per year for the next ten years, Assembly Bill 693 incentivizes the installation of at least 300 MW of solar in multifamily affordable housing. The bill is designed to specifically benefit over 200,000 low-income tenants by crediting the energy savings generated by new solar systems directly to their utility bills.
Under Senate Bill 350, California will generate half of its electricity from renewable energy sources and implement a two-fold increase in energy efficiency of existing factories, offices, and homes by 2030. The State Energy Resource Conservation and Development Commission will complete a study of obstacles low-income families face in accessing renewable energy, energy efficiency, and weatherization investments by January 1, 2017.
If passed, Assembly Bill 802 will expand the state’s energy benchmarking program to include large multifamily housing. This would help owners identify the most effective energy efficiency investments for their properties by giving them a deeper understanding of how energy is currently being used.
