People in the solar industry are exhausted from a rush of sales to customers who wanted to get ahead of new state rules for net metering. They are apprehensive because the rules are a much worse deal for solar owners than before. But they also have moments of optimism due to faith in the value of their product and because of the way that the rules encourage people to buy energy storage systems to pair with solar.

By that, she means the industry has never seen a regulatory change this extensive or complicated. The California Public Utilities Commission adopted the policy in December, which included a 75 percent decrease in the rates that solar owners receive for excess electricity that flows back to the grid.

The term net metering refers to the policy that gives solar owners credits for excess electricity, which is an important part of the financial calculus for people considering whether they can afford solar. When rooftop solar was new, the typical credit was the same as the retail rate for buying electricity. But as the rooftop solar industry has grown, states have taken steps to reduce the credit, often at the behest of utilities, with California now having an unusually low credit compared to other states

California Enters ‘Uncharted Territory’ After Cutting Payments to Rooftop Solar Owners by 75 Percent – Inside Climate News