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Committee delays vote on $3M GoSolar SF pilot after wide public turnout; staff clarify incentives are per meter
Summary
Supervisors continued items creating a $3 million municipal solar rebate pilot for one week after lengthy public comment and staff clarifications that incentive payments are made per electric meter/installation rather than strictly per rooftop.
The Budget and Finance Committee on Wednesday voted to continue one week a set of ordinances that would reserve $3 million for a San Francisco solar incentive pilot and add a new chapter to the Environmental Code to govern the program. The continuation followed a multi-hour public comment period that drew industry representatives, environmental groups, community organizations and residents.
PUC staff and commissioners clarified key technical points during the hearing. Barbara Hale of the Public Utilities Commission explained that the pilot as amended would expand eligibility for a $5,000 environmental-justice incentive and strengthen workforce-hiring provisions; staff also clarified that the programs public numbers (for example, 707 installations) are counted per meter/installation, not strictly per rooftop. "Each incentive goes to a meter ... each incentive recipient has to have a separate installation," a PUC speaker explained, noting that a single large electrical system serving multiple meters would be treated as multiple installations for incentive purposes.
Supervisor McGoldrick and others said they wanted an additional week to negotiate proposed amendments and ensure the public and legal teams had time to review any substitute language. Supervisor Mercurimi indicated he had alternative legislation he wanted considered and urged a one-week negotiation period.
Public comment was extensive and largely supportive. Lyndon Rive of SolarCity said press reports that his company had issued an "ultimatum" were incorrect and clarified that SolarCitys plans for a local training academy depended on sufficient local installation volume. Multiple community groups, including the A. Philip Randolph Institute, VoteSolar, Sierra Club, Borrego Solar and neighborhood associations, urged supervisors to pass the pilot to create local jobs, spur clean-energy investment and reduce reliance on peaker plants. Speakers from Bayview/Hunters Point emphasized local hiring and long-term economic development.
Committee action: after debate, a motion to continue both ordinance files for one week carried on a roll-call vote. The continuance gives supervisors and staff time to circulate any proposed amendments and to negotiate changes aimed at equity, local hiring and program mechanics before the committee meets again.
Next steps: The committee continues items 1 and 2 for one week to allow supervisors and staff to negotiate amendments and make proposed substitute language publicly available before final action.
