Every resident in Nevada has the right to generate and use solar energy. This protection is defined in the Nevada Solar Bill of Rights, a special set of laws that defines your solar access rights in Nevada. The Solar Bill of Rights ensures organizations can’t stop you from safely installing, using, and reselling sustainable energy. Most importantly, these rights protect you from powers like the utility company and HOAs who might otherwise enact policies to stop the use of solar energy generation.
What Are Your Nevada Solar Access Rights?
According to The Nevada Solar Bill of Rights (Assembly Bill 405), your rights to generate, use, and resell solar energy are clearly defined. Your solar access rights in Nevada include:
- Solar Generation – You have the right to install solar panels, generate sustainable energy, and use that energy on your property, provided your solar panel system is installed safely and is up to code.
- Energy Storage – You have the right to store the energy you generate (really, to store any energy) in on-site batteries to use at a time of your choosing.
- Power Connection – You have the right to connect your energy source to the consumer side of the electricity meter provided by the power company, whether or not you are selling power back to the grid. (The power company can’t stop you from connecting your solar)
- Rate Class Stability – You have the right to be granted the same power rate class (the rate at which you are charged/sell back electricity) as you had before solar installation and in the same rate class as others in your neighborhood. (The power company can’t charge you more or pay you significantly less than your standard power rate, without extra fees or charges)
- Net Metering and Power Purchase – You have the right to buy or sell the electricity generated by your solar panels through net metering or power purchase agreements.
- Solar Easements – You have the right to draft private contracts with neighbors to protect your solar access.
- Protection from Anti-Solar Policies – You are protected from new and existing contracts and policies that violate your solar rights.
Solar Access Rights In Action: Why the Solar Bill of Rights Matters
The Nevada Solar Bill of Rights may seem like a no-brainer: everyone should have the right to install and use solar panels as long as they are professionally installed and up to code. However, seeing these laws in action can reveal why your solar rights are important and must be legally defined.
Protection from HOA Policies
HOAs often set strange restrictions on resident home improvement projects. Your solar access rights in Nevada prevent HOAs from setting policies that prevent you from installing and using solar energy for your home.
They can set certain limitations for neighborhood aesthetics, such as requiring solar only to be on the roof and not in the yard, but cannot ban solar or set requirements that would drastically increase the expense, like always requiring a new roof.
Protection from Power Companies
Power companies who don’t want to lose your power bill dollars are sometimes inclined to penalize solar owners. They may increase your energy rates, significantly under-pay for net metering, level fees, or try to prohibit you from connecting your panels to the home’s energy system.
Your solar bill of rights prevents these abusive policies, ensuring you are charged approximately the standard rate and cannot be stopped from installing up-to-code solar energy generation systems.
Invest in Solar Today
Now that you know your solar access rights as a Nevada homeowner, we hope you feel more confident than ever in making the switch to solar. Contact us today to get started on a free consultation.
