California is experiencing an increase in the number of days classified as posing “major” or “extreme” heat risks, at a time when households spend about $4 billion annually on home cooling. According to a new report prepared by the Environmental Working Group, operating air-conditioning systems adds between $95 and $800 to annual electricity bills, while nearly 7 million utility customers in the state are experiencing some form of utility debt.
These figures force households to choose directly between using cooling that is medically necessary and facing larger bills, or reducing air-conditioner use and being exposed to heat risks. The report comes amid a call to prioritize solar systems located at the consumer’s site, such as rooftop panels or smaller systems designed for balconies, as a potential way to reduce the cost of electricity used for cooling.
A Noticeable Increase in Heat Risks
EWG found that California counties recorded an average of 191 days, or 52.3% of the year’s days, within the risk levels that the National Weather Service describes as major or extreme. The statewide average number of these days rose by 55% over the past two decades, with substantial variation among regions.
San Francisco recorded the largest increase among the examples cited in the report, at 145%, followed by Sacramento County at 111.4% and Santa Clara County at 100%. The increase was 58.1% in Riverside, 54.6% in Fresno, 40.2% in San Diego County, and 30.8% in Los Angeles County.
The change is not limited to inland areas. Coastal areas, despite experiencing fewer days of extreme heat, have fewer home-cooling systems; 70% of homes there have air conditioning, compared with 92% in inland counties. The rate falls to 35% in some areas such as San Francisco. In addition, 64% of housing units with two to four bedrooms have air conditioning, compared with 80% of detached homes.
What Is Changing in Practice?
EWG indicates that a typical rooftop solar system can produce enough electricity to cover central-air-conditioning needs throughout a year, while a smaller plug-in solar system on a balcony can help offset the consumption of a window air conditioner. This presents solar power as a tool for reducing cooling costs, rather than as a solution separate from the problem of electricity-bill affordability.
However, benefiting from these systems does not depend solely on their generating capacity. The report says that procedures and regulatory barriers make access to solar power more difficult, particularly for renters. For this reason, EWG supports SB 868, introduced by state Senator Scott Wiener (Democrat, San Francisco). The bill passed the Senate in May and remains under consideration in the Assembly.
Why Does This News Matter?
The significance of the development lies in its combination of three practical issues: resident safety during heat waves, the cost of operating air conditioners, and the ability of homeowners and renters to access electricity generation at the site of consumption. The report states that heat exposure may be associated with heatstroke, dehydration, and other health harms, while Hayley Miller, an assistant professor at the University of California, San Francisco, pointed to particular risks associated with pregnancy.
Nevertheless, the source does not establish that solar systems alone will solve the cooling or debt problem. Expanding their use will require, according to one of the speakers participating in the briefing, major investments in building upgrades and the removal of implementation barriers. SB 868 also remains a pending bill, so its actual effects on prices and access remain unresolved.