By Garry Wicka, VP of marketing, LG Business Solutions USA
In 2018, the California Energy Commission (CEC) updated its Title 24 building standards. Starting in 2020, most new homes built in the Golden State will be required to incorporate a number of energy efficiency measures, including rooftop solar panels.
The standards are designed to cut energy use in new homes by more than 50% to help address climate change. Meeting the new solar requirement can be a seamless process for contractors that adds value for homeowners, while helping the state meet energy and carbon emissions goals.
What exactly do the new standards say?
Building-efficiency standards are designed by the CEC to reduce wasteful, uneconomic, inefficient or unnecessary consumption of energy. They’re also created to improve indoor and outdoor environmental quality. The standards are adopted into the California Code of Regulations (Title 24, Part 6) and apply to newly constructed buildings, additions and alterations to existing structures. In 2018, the CEC announced the historic decision to incorporate both advanced energy efficiency measures and rooftop solar, making California the first state in the nation to require solar panels to be installed on new homes.
High-efficiency modules and how they can help
Using high-efficiency modules, such as the LG NeON 2, is a strategy that can help meet the minimum Title 24 requirements in a cost-effective manner. Higher efficiency modules enable you to install fewer modules, which reduces balance-of-system and installation costs. NeON 2 60-cell modules, for example, incorporate Cello Technology developed by LG to increase power output and improve module appearance. It also makes the modules less vulnerable to microcracks, boosting long-term reliability, thanks to Cello’s 12-wire (vs. traditional three-busbar) technology.
For certain applications, homebuilders also may wish to consider high-efficiency solar modules with back-contact technology, which locates all the module’s electrodes on the back side of the panel to boost sunlight absorption. For instance, LG NeON R V5 panels have improved temperature coefficient, which means it is able to generate more electricity on the hot days experienced in much of California.
Work with trusted partners
To help prevent potential delays in 2020 project schedule, it’s important for homebuilders and solar contractors to work with a leading module provider that can provide the products, processes and support they need now and for homeowners down the road. LG backs its solar panels with a 25-year warranty that covers the product itself, as well as performance and labor. As a trusted global brand with widespread name recognition in the homebuilding industry, LG offers builders and architects much more than home appliances, whole-home comfort systems and TVs. LG’s solar panels and energy storage solutions promote compliance with Title 24 and help assure a more energy-efficient, smart future.
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