With Solar for All funding having been halted, CCSA calls on CPUC to accelerate CREP implementation and establish a scalable community solar and storage program before ITC deadlines.
SACRAMENTO, CA — The Coalition for Community Solar Access (CCSA) today praised Governor Gavin Newsom’s recent Executive Order (N-33-25), which directs state agencies — including the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) — to fast-track clean energy deployment in the wake of the federal Investment Tax Credit (ITC) phase-out and loss of Solar for All funding.
Section 3(a) of the Executive Order specifically requests the CPUC to “identify critical generation and storage projects expected to come online in the next three years and request that utilities under its jurisdiction prioritize actions to enable them to interconnect.” CCSA urges the Commission to treat this directive as a call to accelerate and strengthen the Community Renewable Energy Program (CREP), which must be finalized by January 1, 2026.
“Governor Newsom has made clear that California cannot afford to move slowly while federal incentives expire and energy demand continues to surge,” said Derek Chernow, Western Regional Director at CCSA. “The CREP program is the vehicle we already have to bring clean, local power to families and small businesses across the state. But unless the CPUC acts with urgency to finalize rules and make the program truly scalable, California risks missing this narrow window to capture billions in investment tax credits and lower bills for ratepayers.”
The urgency is heightened by the Trump Administration’s cancellation of Solar for All funding, which CPUC had previously intended to use as a foundation for community solar expansion. Without those dollars, regulators must design CREP as a long-lasting, market-driven program capable of attracting private capital, lowering costs, and delivering tangible equity outcomes. A recent groundbreaking study by Aurora Energy Research quantified the significant benefits of a scaled community solar and storage program in California.
California community solar and storage advocates — including those who signed a September 3 coalition letter to the Governor — emphasized that swift action will deliver wide-ranging benefits:
- Affordability: By lowering bills and shielding families from fossil fuel price spikes.
- Equity: By prioritizing access for disadvantaged and low-income communities.
- Reliability: By building local generation and storage that can be deployed in months, not years.
- Economic growth: By creating jobs in manufacturing, installation, and maintenance across the state.
- Speed to completion: Community solar and storage projects can come online in 12-24 months, without federal approval.
“Governor Newsom’s Executive Order lays out a playbook for how California can maximize remaining federal credits, accelerate deployment, and keep our climate goals on track,” added Chernow. “Now it’s time for the CPUC to translate that direction into action by ensuring CREP regulations are ready, workable, and capable of scaling quickly. Families and businesses can’t afford more delays.”
Across the nation, 19 states and the District of Columbia have already adopted policies enabling third-party community solar programs. Faced with the same federal headwinds, several Governors have doubled down on their commitment to community solar and storage. In Illinois, Governor J.B. Pritzker recently celebrated the state’s 100th community solar project. In New York, Governor Kathy Hochul proudly announced more than 2 gigawatts (GW) of community solar installed — the largest in the nation. In Colorado, Governor Jared Polis issued an executive order directing agencies to prioritize interconnection and flexible procurement to speed new community solar projects to market. And in New Jersey, Governor Phil Murphy just signed landmark legislation expanding the state’s program by 3 GW — enough to power nearly half a million homes while guaranteeing savings for low- and moderate-income households.
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About CCSA
CCSA is a national trade association representing over 125 community solar developers, businesses, and nonprofits. Together, we are building the electric grid of the future where every customer has the freedom to support the generation of clean, local solar energy to power their lives. Through legislative and regulatory advocacy, and the support of a diverse coalition — including advocates for competition, clean energy, ratepayers, landowners, farmers, and environmental justice — we enable policies that unlock the potential of distributed energy resources, starting with community solar. For more information, visit https://www.communitysolaraccess.org and follow the group on X (Twitter), LinkedIn, and Youtube.