HomeMy WebLinkAboutSB 868 (Wiener) Plug into the Sun Act - City of SLO - SUPPORTCity of San Luis Obispo, Office of the City Council, 990 Palm Street, San Luis Obispo, CA, 93401-3249, 805.781.7114,
slocity.org
April 6, 2026
Senator Sabrina Cervantes
Chair, Senate Appropriations Committee
Capitol Office, 1021 O Street, Suite 7330
Sacramento, CA 95814-4900
RE: Support for SB 868 (Wiener) – The Plug Into The Sun Act
Dear Chair Cervantes,
The City of San Luis Obispo is pleased to support SB 868 (Wiener), the Plug Into The Sun Act. We
appreciate your leadership in addressing energy affordability and air quality through innovative
solutions like plug-in “Balcony Solar.” San Luis Obispo residents, like communities across California,
face rising electricity costs and increasing climate impacts. Expanding access to affordable, reliable
clean energy is critical for public health, economic stability, and achieving the state’s climate goals.
Additionally, San Luis Obispo has a significant renter population, many of whom live in multifamily
housing without access to traditional rooftop solar. SB 868 addresses this gap by reducing barriers to
small, portable solar technologies that can plug directly into standard outlets. These systems provide
a practical way to lower utility bills, reduce reliance on fossil fuels, and increase household energy
resilience without requiring property ownership.
Customer-sited solar already plays a major role in California’s clean energy transition. Expanding
access to portable systems like Balcony Solar will extend these benefits to more residents,
particularly in renter-heavy communities like San Luis Obispo. However, unnecessary utility
requirements could limit adoption by adding cost and delay.
SB 868 strikes an important balance by establishing safety standards while preventing excessive red
tape, helping ensure these technologies remain accessible and affordable. For San Luis Obispo,
expanding access to plug-in solar will support local climate goals, reduce strain on the electric grid,
and deliver meaningful cost savings.
For these reasons, the City of San Luis Obispo strongly supports SB 868.
Sincerely,
Erica A. Stewart
Mayor
City of San Luis Obispo
cc. Senate Appropriations Committee
Senator Scott Wiener
Senator John Laird
Assemblymember Dawn Addis
Dave Mullinax, Cal Cities
League of California Cities, cityletters@cacities.org