Letters to the Editor: California isn't leading on climate change. We're backsliding on solar too

Los Angeles Times Opinion
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Calexico CA, Wednesday, November 30, 2022 - Site Supervisor Darryn Stead inspects panels at the Mt. Signal Solar Farm. (Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)
Panels are inspected at a solar energy farm in Calexico. A reader says California is heading in the wrong direction with its new net metering rules. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

To the editor: Thad Kousser writes that California is "enlightening the rest of the country" on several policy fronts. He omitted solving the climate crisis, perhaps for a good reason: Data show Vermont, not California, leads the nation in terms of the carbon intensity of its energy sources.

Still, California has a great opportunity. We are the world's fifth-largest economy. If we were leading the nation on climate change, we would be a sparkling example to the world that businesses can grow and economies can thrive while we solve this important issue.

Currently, California is ahead of all other states in solar energy. However, the subsidy by way of net metering nearly disappeared this month for most solar customers.

I can agree to removing the subsidy for the wealthiest, but if we truly want to have solar on every roof (which should be the goal), let's have better net metering for the other folks.

California leads the nation in many areas but falls short in others. I would like to see us lead in solving the climate crisis.

Joel Shapiro, Venice

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.