California aims to simplify clean energy upgrades
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California lawmakers passed two bills intended to lower the cost and difficulty of installing solar panels, batteries, and heat pumps for homeowners. The state Legislature approved the Heat Pump Access Act (Senate Bill 222) and the Remote Virtual Inspection Act (Assembly Bill 1738) late last month. Governor Gavin Newsom has until September 30 to decide whether to sign them into law.
The bills address a problem with existing regulations.
Currently, homeowners face inconsistent and expensive permitting requirements that vary across California’s roughly 600 local jurisdictions. Senate Bill 222 would create a statewide standard for heat pump installations, limiting permit fees to $150 for water heaters and $200 for heat pumps, except where jurisdictions can demonstrate higher costs, and preventing homeowner associations from banning the technology. Assembly Bill 1738 focuses on inspections.
It would allow homeowners to request remote virtual inspections for these upgrades, which can save time and money compared to traditional in-person checks. Inspectors sometimes require hours to arrive for inspections lasting only minutes, adding hundreds of dollars to project costs. At least nineteen California cities and counties already offer virtual inspections. These changes could save households hundreds to over $1,000 per upgrade and help California meet its climate goals.
By 2030, California aims to reduce planet-heating emissions by 40% from 1990 levels and install 6 million heat pumps. Other states, including Connecticut, Florida, and Texas, are also working to streamline permitting for solar and storage.
