California sharply reduced incentive payments for rooftop solar power Thursday, taking a sledgehammer to a program that helped 1.5 million homes and businesses put solar panels on their roofs and made the state a leader in fighting the climate crisis.
The unanimous vote by the state's Public Utilities Commission to reduce payments to solar customers for the electricity they generate comes after a decade of controversy over the program. Critics say it has resulted in higher electric bills for households that don't have rooftop solar panels, including low-income families that can't afford them.
Solar installers and clean energy activists call that argument flawed, saying the technology's benefits — including less air pollution in low-income communities, and protection against utility power shutoffs — far outweigh its costs.
