California, the trend-setter for clean-energy has announced that they will be the first state to require new homes to have solar power. This big leap will take effect in 2020, making solar powered homes more pricey than those without it. Although the homes will be more pricey, the lowered cost in energy bills will be worth it.
This new California law will require noncarbon-producing sources to make up at least 50 percent of the state’s electricity by 2030. Under these new requirements, builders will have to choose one of two options; build a shared solar-power system serving multiple homes in a neighborhood, or make homes available individually with solar panels. New home builders are giving homeowners the option of owning the panels outright or rolling it into the home price, or paying on a monthly lease.
Overall, this new requirement will add around $8,000 to $12,000 per home. However, this added cost has many benefits for the state as well as the monthly cost reduced on energy expenditure. If California can set the example, other states may be joining in soon, too.
