Solar Panels now Mandatory in Lancaster California

You might have heard of mandatory composting and recycling, but things that being taken a step further in Lancaster, California where it is going to become mandatory for solar panels to be installed on all newly constructed properties.

In the city of Lancaster the residential zoning codes are being updated to require that minimum 1.0 kW solar systems are installed on new-construction properties in the local area. This historic and bold move by Republican Mayor Rex Parris looks set to increase his ambition of becoming the solar capital of California. This new and challenging requirement will commence from January 1, 2014 on all newly constructed single-family homes.

This isn’t the only time that the city of Lancaster has created headline news with its involvement in the solar energy industry. Back in 2010 the city launched the “Solar Lancaster” initiative in partnership with SolarCity which went on to generate solar financing for a wide range of residences and businesses. The end result of this program is that it is likely to earn the town approximately 1.5 million a year up to the year 2017, and after that the generated income is likely to be in the region of $800,000 for the foreseeable future.

The situation stands at the moment that the local building industry is trying to block the proposal by Mayor Parris coming through – although the mayor is highly confident that his proposed solar installation for all new properties will be met with approval by the city council at a later date.