Top Stories
1. Plug-in “balcony” solar cleared the Legislature (SB 868)
SB 868 (Wiener) is enrolled and was presented to the Governor Aug 31. LegInfo still shows it on his desk — not chaptered yet. If it becomes law, it takes effect Jan 1, 2027 and, until Jan 1, 2030, lets certified portable plug-in systems up to 1,200 W skip a full interconnection agreement (simple online notice). Devices need national lab certification (UL 3700 is the path people cite); as of late August coverage, kits that meet the bill’s bar were not yet certified for sale. PG&E pushed the 2030 sunset.
Links: https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billStatusClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260SB868
https://www.canarymedia.com/articles/balcony-solar/california-lawmakers-pass-bill-oking-balcony-solar
https://www.kqed.org/science/2001842/california-lawmakers-greenlight-solar-panels-you-can-plug-into-the-wall
2. Remote inspections for solar + storage (AB 1738)
AB 1738 (Carrillo) is also enrolled on the Governor’s desk (presented Aug 28). It would require cities/counties to offer a remote-inspection option for certain 1–2 family projects, including PV ≤15 kW AC and energy storage, with phase-in into 2028. Locals keep protocols; willful misrepresentation can get a contractor banned from remote for a stretch. Trade press that said “Newsom signed Friday” does not match LegInfo — treat it as awaiting action through Sep 30.
Links: https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billStatusClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260AB1738
https://www.utilitydive.com/news/wildfire-costs-california-legislature-solar/829295/
https://pv-magazine-usa.com/2026/08/27/california-bill-enables-remote-inspection-for-residential-solar-batteries-heat-pumps-and-more/
3. Community solar rewrite + VPP path (AB 1813 + SB 913)
AB 1813 would rebuild CA’s customer renewable subscription / community solar+storage program (advocates say the prior CPUC build produced zero online projects). IOUs opposed. SB 913 directs the CPUC to open pathways so aggregated home batteries/EVs can count toward resource adequacy, without double-paying NEM/NBT customers. Both are headed to Newsom, not overnight rebate checks.
Links: https://www.latimes.com/environment/story/2026-08-31/california-solar-renters
https://www.utilitydive.com/news/wildfire-costs-california-legislature-solar/829295/
https://pv-magazine-usa.com/2026/08/28/california-passes-bill-allowing-customer-owned-clean-energy-to-compete-with-traditional-power-sources-for-grid-reliability/
4. Wildfire liability fight is back in the rate conversation
Sep 1: lawmakers rejected Newsom’s push to limit utility wildfire liability; PG&E Corp. and Edison International shares dropped hard. Porch bill-anxiety, not a filed residential rate hike by itself.
Why It Matters at the Door
When they say “I’ll just buy plug-in panels.”
SB 868 is appliance-scale (capped ~1,200 W), not a rooftop + backup system. It doesn’t fix TOU, NBT export, or outage risk.
When ops is the close-killer.
If AB 1738 becomes law, remote inspection is a soft-cost story for 2028 — not a magic same-week PTO button.
When the house can’t take a roof array.
Renters, condos, HOA dead-ends will hear about community solar. AB 1813 is a program rebuild, not a product you can enroll them in this week.
Scrub these pitches:
Do not say AB 942 is law.
Do not pitch open general-market SGIP.
Do not claim the lawsuit will bring back retail NEM (CA Supreme Court declined Jun 10, 2026).
Do not quote a blanket 30% federal credit on a 2026 cash buy.
CA Corner
Property-tax new-construction exclusion for active solar becomes inoperative for NEW systems Jan 1, 2027. AB 2389 did not clear. Confirm assessor/BOE. Don’t invent dollars.
Sunrun Q2 CA originations still below pre-NBT. Freedom Forever Chapter 7 still shows up as installer-disappeared trust issues.
CTA
Before the next street: run a free KnockGenius scan, then open the app on iPhone or Android.