California has long been a leader in clean energy. From the early days of rooftop solar to becoming the fourth-largest economy in the world with climate action as a cornerstone, we have shown what’s possible. But right now, we face a pivotal moment — and a fleeting opportunity.
If you’ve ever considered installing solar panels with battery storage or buying an electric vehicle, now is the time. Thanks to federal tax incentives from the Inflation Reduction Act, households and businesses can save thousands — but those incentives are expiring after 2025. To qualify, battery systems must be installed and fully operational by the end of this year. To get the $7,500 for a new or $4,000 for a used car, it needs to be purchased and delivered by September 30. That’s not a lot of time, and you need to start right away to make the cutoff.
Here in Santa Barbara County, we’re blessed with abundant sun and the public will to act. Our region has been a pioneer in environmental leadership since the 1969 Oil Spill. Today we continue that legacy as proud members of 3CE, Central Coast Community Energy, a public agency formed to accelerate our transition away from fossil fuels. Through 3CE, we already have contracts in place to power our homes and businesses with more than 60 percent clean energy — and expect to be 100 percent renewable by more than a decade ahead of the state goal. 3CE also reinvests in our communities through rebates for electrification, storage and resilience. Its incentives for battery storage can be stacked on top of the federal subsidy. 3CE has invested millions in Santa Barbara County to help residents and businesses make the switch. These are local dollars, staying in our community, building our clean energy future from the ground up.
Solar panels aren’t enough anymore. In fact, they can unintentionally add to California’s energy headaches. On sunny days, we produce more solar power than we can use and must sometimes pay other states to take the surplus. When the sun sets, demand spikes and gas-fired power plants roar to life.
Battery storage is the key to solving this imbalance. Batteries capture that excess clean energy during the day and use it when it matters most, in the evening during peak demand. And with the predicted increase in Public Safety Power Shutoffs (PSPS) to reduce fire risk from power lines in high winds, batteries keep the power on. Today’s batteries are safer and more reliable than ever. Systems have built-in fire prevention, automatic shutoffs, and can be monitored via smartphone. In the event of a blackout, they can keep your fridge, medical devices, and internet running — turning your home into a personal resilience hub. It’s savings, resilience, and a tremendous sense of independence—a win for our climate goals.
The urgency to make the transition couldn’t be greater because the federal government has voted to eliminate the tax incentives they provide to individuals to electrify their homes and cars. At the same time it has reduced funding for renewable energy research and development, revoked California’s long-standing authority to set stronger vehicle emissions standards, rolled back rules requiring electric vehicle adoption in federal fleets, removed climate resilience programs from federal infrastructure priorities, and directed support back towards fossil fuels, including coal. While climate disasters multiply, the very tools we need to understand and respond have been reduced.
But the planet doesn’t wait, and neither can we. California — and especially Central Coast residents — have a chance to lead. By installing rooftop solar and battery storage, upgrading to electric vehicles, and cutting fossil fuel use at home and in our communities, we reduce emissions and build resilience — right now.
The responsibility to act falls to all of us. And in that, there is power. We can’t afford to wait to do what the moment demands. We need to act, we need to lead by example, we need to establish the model that others can follow.
Joan Hartmann is 3rd District Santa Barbara County Supervisor; Das Williams is senior advisor of Policy and Legislative Affairs at Central Coast Community Energy, 3CE.
