Letters to the Editor: Cutting incentives for rooftop solar makes no sense. Speak up, Gov. Newsom

To the editor: As a resident of California who is concerned about the effects of climate change, I am totally baffled by the debate over how the state should address replacing fossil fuel power generation with solar energy. (“California strikes another blow against rooftop solar,” Nov. 16)

It appears that Gov. Gavin Newsom has mixed feelings on the issue. He recently went to China and discussed climate change, and after he returned every one of his appointees to the California Public Utilities Commission voted to approve reducing incentives for installing rooftop solar.

This is a survival issue, not a monetary one. I am currently installing power with battery storage at my home, and the cost is extremely high. By my math, the payback would never meet any corporate rate of return hurdle. I am doing it because it is my small contribution to reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Continuing to disincentivize Californians from installing home solar panels only ensures that climate change will impact our planet sooner rather than later. It is time to stop debating this issue and develop a strategy that will incentivize Californians to install solar.

Frank Deni, Lake Forest

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To the editor: In 2011, my wife and I put 33 panels on our roof in order to produce sufficient energy for ourselves and our community.

Since we bought the system, we’ve contributed to a power grid that was on the verge of browning out (especially after the San Onofre nuclear power plant petered out) in periods of maximum demand. The system on our home has now paid for itself and continues to generate more than we need.

Yet publicly held utilities want me and others who are doing something about needed power generation to pay more in fees because they can’t pay their shareholders in a manner to which they’ve become accustomed?

The utilities push the silly idea that my wife and I are somehow robber barons for having panels on our roof: “Oh, look at that couple in Escondido who installed solar so they could afford to retire!” Get real.

Steve Thorne, Escondido

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To the editor: In addition to fighting climate change, rooftop solar should be incentivized as a way to achieve disaster preparedness.

When the “Big One” hits, the grid could be down for days, weeks or even months. The only way to survive will be with our own in-home power supply.

This is another reason why adding rooftop solar is very important.

Alan Johnson, Seal Beach