by Dan Burns

May 17, 2025, 9:00 AM

Democrats are inexplicably going after community and residential solar

There’s something going on here that I can’t seem to figure out, involving solar energy. Like a speculative fiction story in which everything’s the opposite of what you’d expect. First, in Massachusetts, where the governor is a Democrat:

On the negative side, the bill also proposes cuts to net-metering compensation for non-residential solar projects, including community solar. The Coalition for Community Solar Access (CCSA) expressed displeasure with that provision of the bill and asked the governor to change course.

“Some of the first community solar projects in the state, along with many projects that serve municipalities and local governments, utilize net metering. We are concerned that the proposals included in the Governor’s bill will halt the progress these and other solar programs, such as the Solar Massachusetts Renewable Target (SMART) Program, have helped create,” said Kate Daniel, Northeast Regional Director for CCSA, in a press statement. “By changing compensation rates of solar projects, Governor Healey is taking a step backward in bringing clean and affordable energy to Massachusetts residents.”
(Solar Power World)

Ditto:

California lawmakers are considering a bill that would renege on decades of commitments to customers who’ve installed solar panels on their homes — all to shrink only a tiny fraction of the utility costs that are driving electricity rates through the roof.

The bill in question is AB 942, introduced by Assemblymember Lisa Calderon, a Democrat who previously worked for decades at utility Southern California Edison. And unlike the cuts to rooftop solar incentives that California regulators have imposed over the past few years, which apply only to solar systems installed after the new policies have been put in place, AB 942 would undermine the value of solar on the nearly 2 million homes that installed panels years ago.
(Canary Media)

And right here at home. I don’t know what the status of this is right now. In this context the point is that it was written and introduced by a DFLer:

Community solar gardens started with a 2013 state law and sparked the growth of solar in Minnesota. The program allowed third-party developers to build mid-sized solar arrays in Xcel territory. Subscribers receive credits for the energy produced for the grid. Minnesota’s original program was considered a national leader, but was criticized for not prioritizing residential customers and low-income households.

The program was revamped by a new state law in 2023 that sought to direct it toward low- and moderate-income residential customers and to cap the amount of solar that could be installed each year. The overhauled program is still in its early stages.

But now a newly proposed bipartisan bill seeks to end it.
(Sahan Journal)

I’m pretty sure I’ve seen where other blue states have similar proposals out there, but I’m not going to spend all day tracking that down. These examples are plenty. Meanwhile:

In several states, Republican lawmakers are taking the lead on an unexpected policy priority: encouraging more community solar.

This year, Republicans in Georgia, Iowa, Missouri, and Ohio have sponsored bills to spur the growth of this shared renewable energy resource in their states. Community solar installations, which are typically 1 to 5 megawatts, or up to 30 acres, allow households to reap the benefits of cheaper, clean power without putting panels on their own roofs. And customers who subscribe to these projects can save money on their electricity bills.
(Canary Media)

The supposed justification being provided by Democrats behind those first three is that utility bills for most users are unnecessarily high because of these programs. If you click and read the articles about California and Minnesota they make clear how bogus that claim is.

Still, I don’t see what other motives could be behind this, especially given public support for action on climate change. I’m not going to throw around accusations of legislators being bought off on the basis of no evidence. And there’s no reason for them to be seriously worried about their seats as long as the Trump administration continues to feed likely blue waves in 2026 and 2028 (similar to 2006 and 2008 if you want compelling evidence from recent history). They’re just plain not facing the facts.

Comment from Joe Musich: I have had a solar farm “subscription” for a number of years. Last year I heard or read there was a bill being proposed at our state legislature that one could only participate in a solar farm in one’s own zip code. That never made it far. I contacted the legislators supporting the bill and never heard back. Being a “nervous Joey” I looked into All Solar. Panels on the house would not generate the need for electricity based on my Xcel bill ever because of urban tree shade. I attended a zoom last year with Minnesota Interfaith Power and Light that seemed to be dedicated to broadening solar use. I learned of Solar’s extensive use in Australia, I don’t have much “faith” in the PCU or the MnPCA. I don’t think these governmental bodies have yet to fully recover from the TPaw era. Regulation is needed and in the lardollini era we are likely to get even less of what is needed to achieve overall economy of scale.