If nothing else, California does seem to enjoy making various forms of history. The latest was just announced this week, as the state once again becomes the first in the nation to implement some new progressive polcy. And like some of the past ones, this one will also raise the cost of living and drive more money out of Californians' pockets.
Move over, Florida
Florida has always been known as the "Sunshine State," but with the latest move by a bureaucracy in California, that moniker may soon be more fitting for the large state on the left coast, according to information from Fox News.
The California Energy Commission, a five-member regulatory panel, unanimously approved a new policy that will mandate that all new residential construction built after 2020 will have solar panels installed as part of the new construction. It is estimated that the new panels will add about $10,000 to the cost of a new home -- when California real-estate prices are already among the highest in the country.
On the other side of the coin, a commission spokesperson said, over the life of a 30-year mortgage the home may save nearly twice that amount in energy costs (an estimated $19,000 on average), However, that extra $10,000 tacked onto the mortgage over 30 years will result in about $25,000 of extra interest (at current interest rates).
Bill Watt, a homebuilder and design consultant, told The Orange County Register: “Why not just pause for a little while, focus on the affordability and housing issues, then circle back?”
Mandate sunshine?
While solar power has been evolving at a steady pace over the last decade and panels are more affordable than they were earlier this century, they are still very much in the minority of renewable or alternate energy sources on residential homes.
There are solar farms in various parts of the world (including California), but the challenge is still that one cannot store and use excess solar energy in the event of cloudy or stormy weather. Solar panels work well for 90 percent of the year in California, but there is not a viable way to save and store solar energy, and much solar energy still gets lost during each sunny day, where a large percentage of the solar energy does not get converted into electricity.
The very next step for the state may be to find a way to mandate that the sun shines every single day. After all, the Commission reports that the goal is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and take about 100,000 cars off the road. Perhaps more people should just plant trees.
