HomeMy WebLinkAbout24966RESOLUTION NO.24966
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PALM
SPRINGS, CALIFORNIA, IN SUPPORT OF NET ENERGY
METERING
WHEREAS, Net Energy Metering (NEM) is designed to support the installation of
customer -sited renewable energy generation; and
WHEREAS, NEM allows customers to receive bill credits for power generated by their
solar system and shared with the power grid and ultimately save money on their utility bills; and
WHEREAS, NEM is what has allowed solar to become increasingly accessible to low- and
moderate -income households; and
WHEREAS, the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) has launched a formal
proceeding to update the current NEM structure to be introduced in 2022 as NEM 3.0 and a
number of parties have submitted their proposal for what they believe NEM 3.0 should look like;
and
WHEREAS, the California Investor Owned Utilities (IOUs), Pacific Gas and Electric, San
Diego Gas & Electric, and Southern California Edison, have submitted a joint proposal (the "IOU
Proposal") that calls for drastic changes to NEM that would make customer -sited renewable
energy more expensive, increase the amount of time it takes for customers to pay off their
systems, and ground to a halt the installation of distributed solar in California; and
WHEREAS, The IOU Proposal would make it impossible for customer -sited renewables
to continue to grow sustainably as mandated by law as a result of high monthly fixed fees for all
solar installations, and slashing credits customers receive for sharing their excess electricity with
the power grid; and
WHEREAS, proposals submitted to CPUC by Protect Our Communities Foundation,
California Solar & Storage Association, Vote Solar, GRID Alternatives, Solar Energy Industries
Association, and others not only would encourage new solar adoption but also include additional
subsidies for low-income customers; and
WHEREAS, California cannot meet its clean energy targets in time with utility -scale solar
alone and needs to triple the amount of rooftop solar, as reported by the California Energy
Commission 2021 SIB 100 Joint Agency Report Summary; and
WHEREAS, protecting rooftop solar and expanding access to rooftop solar in
communities of concern will help California as well as our own city to move toward 100 percent
clean energy, lessen the impacts of the climate crisis, and reduce climate injustices from dirty
energy; and
Resolution No. 24966
Page 2
WHEREAS, we are in a climate crisis and need to make the transition to clean energy
more accessible.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Council of the City of Palm Springs that
it supports protecting and expanding rooftop solar via a strong succeeding NEM tariff and
expanding clean energy access by making it easier, not harder, for people to adopt rooftop solar
and energy storage in order to meet California's ambitious clean energy targets and deploy solar
in all communities and households, particularly those struggling to pay for electricity;
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Palm Springs City Council urges the CPUC to:
(i) strengthen NEM to expand access to all households, particularly those of low- and
moderate -income;
(ii) expand access to other clean energy technologies that pair with solar, such as batteries;
(iii) ensure that the solar installations continue to grow in order to meet State and City climate
goals; and
(iv) exclude provisions set forth in the IOU Proposal such as high monthly fixed fees, and
reducing or eliminating credits for sharing electricity with the power grid.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that that copies of this Resolution shall be sent to Governor
Gavin Newsom, State Senator Melissa Melendrez, Assemblymember Chad Mayes, and
members of the California Public Utilities Commission Board.
PASSED, APPROVED AND ADOPTED BY THE PALM SPRINGS CITY COUNCIL THIS
13t" DAY OF January, 2022.
dj_19W1_X�_
TERESA GALLAVAN,
ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER
ATTEST:
NTHONY EJ
ITY CLERK
Resolution No. 24966
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CERTIFICATION
STATE OF CALIFORNIA )
COUNTY OF RIVERSIDE ) ss.
CITY OF PALM SPRINGS)
I, ANTHONY J. MEJIA, City Clerk of the City of Palm Springs, hereby certify that
Resolution No. 24966 is a full, true, and correct copy, and was duly adopted at a regular meeting
of the City Council of the City of Palm Springs on January 13, 2022, by the following vote:
AYES: Councilmembers Holstege, Kors, Woods, Mayor Pro Tern Garner, and Mayor
Middleton
NOES: None
ABSENT: None
ABSTAIN: None
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the official seal of the City
of Palm Springs, California, this r day of
nthony J. Me MM ity Clerk
ity of Palm S rings, California
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