California public power utility Pasadena Water and Power (PWP) recently reported improvements that make customer-installed solar power more accessible to facilitate a more electrified future.
This includes specifying that customers are allowed to install solar power systems up to 150% of the customer’s maximum annual historical usage within the past five years, an increase that was authorized by the City Council on September 9. Customer-installed solar power systems can also exceed 150% when paired with a battery storage system or when an actual need is demonstrated.
This measure is just one piece of PWP’s wider strategy to reach 100% carbon-free energy by the end of 2030, a goal set in Resolution 9977.
“Customer-installed solar power and battery storage play a key role in our journey to 100% carbon-free energy,” said PWP General Manager, David Reyes. “The community is enthusiastic about PWP’s potential to be a leader in this space, and we are fully committed to promoting solar power and battery storage through incentives, programs and education.”
Recently, PWP made significant improvements to the solar power installation process. Interconnection agreements have been streamlined, with modified insurance requirements for solar systems under 15kW, and the PWP account verification process has been simplified and digitized. In combination with improvements implemented by the Planning and Community Development Department, these process changes make solar power more accessible.
PWP also reminds customers that the federal government’s clean energy credit for rooftop solar and battery storage ends on December 31, 2025. To claim the credit, systems must be installed and ready to use in tax year 2025. More information can be found through the Internal Revenue Service or by consulting with a tax professional.
In the future, PWP is looking to align programs with infrastructure goals by incentivizing energy storage, developing a low-interest loan program for low-income single-family homes, identifying more municipal properties suitable for solar systems, and continuing to develop a robust education and outreach campaign.
In a recent episode of APPA's Public Power Now podcast, Reyes discussed how the utility is helping to achieve Pasadena’s goal of sourcing 100% of Pasadena’s electricity from carbon-free sources by the end of 2030 and provides details on a utility-scale Battery Energy Storage System being pursued by Pasadena Water and Power.
