Solar for All: AB 1990
Shifting to renewable energy can provide important economic and environmental benefits. Using more renewable energy from clean and safe sources, such as the wind and sun, will reduce the need to generate electricity from fossil fuels, which in turn will reduce air pollution and the heat-trapping emissions that cause global warming. Expanding our clean energy infrastructure is also good news for the economy—building new renewable energy projects creates jobs, and making long-term commitments for renewable energy can help stabilize electricity prices.
Some of California’s traditionally low-income communities have been hit hard by our latest economic hardships, and have shouldered a disproportionate share of the pollution from power plants that burn fossil fuels. A major goal of AB 1990 is to expand opportunities for California’s most disadvantaged communities to access the clean air and jobs benefits that renewables can provide. By promoting the installation of small-scale, renewable electricity generation resources that don’t produce air pollution or global warming emissions, AB 1990 will benefit all Californians.
How does AB 1990 work?
AB 1990 will require most utilities in California to offer standard contracts to renewable energy developers to install projects in low-income communities that have a generation capacity of less than 500 kilowatts. The program would encourage developers to hire employees that live in the state’s most impacted and disadvantaged communities.
