Power your home with solar. Check out the California Solar Consumer Protection Guide for the latest solar energy information & installation requirements.
The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) presents the California Solar Consumer Protection Guide. The CPUC recommends that solar providers give out this guide during their first contact with potential customers.
Solar providers submitting applications to interconnect residential solar customers in the service areas of Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E), Southern California Edison (SCE), San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E), Bear Valley Electric Service (BVES), and PacifiCorp are required to collect customer initials and a signature on the California Solar Consumer Protection Guide.
Interconnection applications with solar contracts signed May 1, 2022 or later must include Version 3 of the guide, whether signed electronically or on paper.
Version 3 of the Solar Consumer Protection Guide contains outdated information about the federal income tax credit (ITC) on page 13. In August 2022, the federal government increased the ITC from 26% to 30%. Under current law, the ITC will remain at 30% until 2032.
Version 3 of the Solar Consumer Protection Guide contains a reference to standardized inputs and assumptions for bill savings estimates (see page 19). Please note that the CPUC and CSLB have not yet published an updated Solar Energy System Disclosure Document containing these inputs and assumptions.
Audio recording of the guide (in English) available by phone toll-free at: 855-955-1535
Audio recording of the guide (in English) available below:
PG&E, SCE, and SDG&E created Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) to help solar providers navigate the new solar consumer protection requirements in the interconnection portals.
Decision (D.)16-01-044 directed CPUC Energy Division staff, in collaboration with stakeholders, to consider net energy metering (NEM) consumer protection measures. In September 2018, the CPUC adopted Decision (D.)18-09-044, which establishes a process for creating a solar information packet for consumers. The solar information packet that was created through this process is now called the “California Solar Consumer Protection Guide.” In February 2020, the CPUC adopted Decision (D.)20-02-011 which modifies Decision (D.)18-09-044.
D.18-09-044 requires that solar providers upload three documents before interconnecting a residential solar customer to the electric grid in PG&E, SCE, and SDG&E territories. These documents include: signed pages of the CPUC solar information packet, the solar installation contract, and the Contractors State License Board (CSLB) Solar Disclosure Document.
D.18-09-44 authorizes an evaluation of the NEM successor tariff (NEM 2.0). As part of this evaluation, focus groups were conducted about the California Solar Consumer Protection Guide, version 2. The focus group methods and findings are presented in this Solar Consumer Protection Guide Research Findings Memo. They are also summarized in these slides from the public workshop about the study.
The CPUC’s Energy Division mailed the following letters regarding the solar information packet to service lists R.14-07-002 and R.12-11-005:
Free legal assistance is now available for customers experiencing legal or financing challenges with Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) financing. PACE is commonly used to finance rooftop solar projects and energy efficiency upgrades. If customers believe their PACE contracts are unfair or that their contractors misrepresented this program or failed to perform the required work, those consumers can obtain legal advice regarding their rights and potential remedies.
For legal assistance, please contact the following law firms:
Once you are able to establish contact with one of the firms above, an attorney will contact you to discuss your rights and potential remedies with you.
You can also file a complaint with the California Department of Financial Protection & Innovation, which oversees PACE program administrators. And as appropriate, you should consider filing a complaint with the Contractors State Licensing Board, which oversees contractor issues.
The Contractors State Licensing Board (CSLB) compiles and publishes an annual report on complaints and consumer questions received regarding solar energy systems companies and solar contractors. This report can be found on the CSLB’s Solar Smart webpage under “Solar Complaints Report.”