The California Energy Commission (CEC) adopted amendments to the California Building Standards Code and specifically the Administrative Code and the 2019 Energy Code (California Code of Regulations, Title 24, Part 1, Chapter 10, and Part 6) that went into effect January 1, 2020. These amendments included provisions requiring the installation of solar photovoltaic (PV) systems on newly constructed, low-rise residential buildings, in section 150.1(c)14 of the Energy Code.
As part of the adoption, Administrative Code section 10-109(k), Photovoltaic System Requirement Determination, states, “The Commission may, upon written application or its own motion, determine that the photovoltaic requirements in [section] 150.1(c)14 shall not apply, if the Commission finds that the implementation of public agency rules regarding utility system costs and revenue requirements, compensation for customer-owned generation, or interconnection fees, causes the Commission’s cost effectiveness conclusions, made pursuant to Public Resources Code 25402(b)(3), to not hold for particular buildings.”
The City of Needles submitted an application for a determination regarding whether the solar PV system requirements should apply to homes in its jurisdiction. CEC staff has reviewed the application and found it complete. Staff has performed a cost-effectiveness analysis based on the public agency rules adopted by the City of Needles and recommends approval of the application. This staff report documents the analysis completed in making the recommendation
