Alternative Energy Solutions

What are the laws on private home power generation in California?

Can I have a wind farm in my front yard? Solar?
How about coal driven turbines in my back yard?
Can I have a razor wire chain-link fence up against the sidewalk to guard it?
Do I get any money if I put electricity out into the grid?
Oh and it’s all in an urban environment.

Just because you send power to the grid doesn’t mean you get paid for it. PG&E puts your kWh in a “bank”, so to speak, so that when you draw from the grid (when your solar is not working) you draw from the kwh you “stored” up. At the end of the year PG&E zero’s the meter and you start over.

I’m not sure what you mean by laws. It is legal to have solar and wind, although you can probably scratch coal generation systems. You are limited by the physical space of your land for wind turbines and the PV array, as well as roof space for your PV.

In California, The Solar Rights Act of 1978 (and it’s various amendments over the years) states that “Any covenant, restriction, or condition contained in any deed, contract, security instrument, or other instrument affecting the transfer or sale of, or any interest in, real property that effectively prohibits or restricts the installation or use of a solar energy system is void and unenforceable.”

This doesn’t mean the HOA don’t have the ability to impost certain restrictions.

HomeMade 2.5kW Wind Electric Generator

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