California Governor Gavin Newsom signed three energy-related bills on September 30. The legislation aims to simplify the adoption of small-scale solar power and improve the efficiency of existing home energy infrastructure.
The Plug and Play Solar Act, or SB 868, allows residents to use balcony solar systems with a combined output of up to 1,200 watts AC. These devices plug directly into 120v household outlets to power appliances.
Under the new law, utilities cannot demand interconnection agreements, advance approvals, or extra fees for these systems. Users only need to submit a simple online notification. These exemptions remain in effect until January 1, 2030.
SB 913, the Clean Local Power Act, focuses on virtual power plants, including home batteries, electric vehicles, and smart thermostats. Regulators must establish pathways by June 30, 2028, for these resources to meet utility reliability requirements.
SB 905 mandates that large investor-owned utilities publish grid usage data and evaluate if batteries or load shifting can replace expensive infrastructure upgrades. The law also tasks regulators with exploring lower shareholder returns to curb rising utility bills.
