Will other US Cities Follow California in Making Solar Energy Compulsory?

Miami goes the California way!

It is no longer news that solar energy prices have fallen to new lows around the world with the USA being no exception. Putting up a solar power plant is not a big expense anymore. You can put up a rooftop solar power plant for around $10,000 (5 kW and assuming $2/watt) in the USA. If you are in India then the price is half that of the costs of customer acquisition, and regulations are also not that high. You can put up a smaller solar power plant for a much lower cost and that would still offset the electricity requirement for new buildings as well as reduce carbon emissions.

Also, read Cost Benefit Analysis of a Rooftop Solar System in India

Miami has made it compulsory to install solar panels for a certain minimum of rooftop area which receives sunlight. Florida has one of the best solar resources in the USA and it is a surprise why the state has installed so little solar energy. The state is also one of the richest with very high median prices of homes. A solar panel system would not lead to very high additional costs for new residential construction and should save on energy costs in the long run.

California has already become a solar leader by making stringent laws on increasing solar energy adoption. As a result, solar energy has blossomed in California not only on rooftops but also in large desert areas as the state has by far the highest share of the solar energy installed capacity in the USA.

The law mandates that builders must install 16 m² (175 ft²) of solar panel per 93 m² (1000 ft²) of sunlit roof area, or one panel with a 2.75 kilowatt capacity per 93 m² (1000 ft²) of living space; the rule also extends to some renovations.

It is only a matter of time before most progressive cities in the world make it mandatory for all new buildings to have solar systems installed. It does not add too much to the costs but greatly reduces carbon emissions.

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