The Community Solar Green Tariff CSGT Program

Community Solar Green Tariff (CSGT)

The CSGT program provides local solar energy at a 20% bill discount for both income-qualified and non-income qualified residential customers in Disadvantaged Communities (DACs) who may be unable to install solar on their roof. The program also requires a local government or non-profit community sponsorship and promotes workforce development and job training in DACs.

In response to an evaluation required under AB 2316 (Ward, 2022), Decision 24-05-065 streamlined existing community solar offerings by discontinuing the majority of the CSGT program and transferring the remaining capacity into the DAC-GT program. Clean Power Alliance continues to administrator its CSGT program and more information, including how to enroll, can be found on its website.

Key Components of the CSGT Program

Eligible customers:

Residential customers in DACs (50% of a project’s output subscribed by customers eligible for CARE or FERA)

Customers receive:

100% renewable energy

20% off their otherwise applicable electric rate

Project location:

In DACs within 5 miles of DAC(s) where subscribing customers reside

Project size:

1.38 MW or less

Program capacity:

3.37 MW

 

Implementation of AB327

Assembly Bill (AB) 327 (Perea, 2013) directed the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) to develop specific alternatives designed to increase adoption of renewable generation in DACs. In June 2018, the CPUC created the CSGT to increase access to solar for residents of disadvantaged communities located within PG&E's, SCE's, or SDG&E's service territory in Decision (D.)18-06-027.

The CSGT program was launched in early 2020 and began enrolling customers in 2022 when the first project came online.

Recent News for CSGT

  • June 2026: The CPUC joined local leaders, community partners, and clean energy advocates in Oakland to celebrate the completion of a new DAC-GT project developed by Ava Community Energy, marking another milestone in California’s growing portfolio of community solar projects. The new 0.72-megawatt (MW) rooftop solar installation hosted by Prologis is another example of a rooftop project to begin operation under the CPUC’s DAC-GT Program. The competitively procured project will provide clean, renewable energy and meaningful bill savings to nearby low-income households while advancing California’s clean energy and environmental justice goals.
  • April 2026: The CPUC joined community leaders and local officials in Carson to celebrate the completion and commercial operation of a new CSGT project developed by Clean Power Alliance. The 1.32 MW project is the first DAC community solar “urban infill” project built on an industrial rooftop. Hosted on a warehouse owned by Prologis, it demonstrates how underutilized urban spaces can be transformed into cost competitive clean energy assets and is part of a broader partnership that will deploy 10 rooftop solar arrays across Los Angeles County.
  • June 2024: D.24-05-065 modified the DAC-GT and Green Tariff programs and discontinued the Community Solar Green Tariff (CSGT) and Enhanced Community Renewables programs and adopted a new Community Renewable Energy (CRE) program pending final implementation details. In response to AB 2316 (Ward, 2022) and its requirement to minimize duplicative offerings while promoting robust participation by low-income customers, the Decision ended the CSGT program with the exception of legacy projects and transferred the remaining capacity into the DAC-GT program. The Decision also expanded the geographic boundaries of a DAC census tract to allow for more eligible projects that serve low-income customers.

    Evaluations

  • 2021 DAC-GT and CSGT Program Evaluation: Pursuant to D.18-06-027, Energy Division was directed to conduct evaluations of the DAC-GT and CSGT programs every three years beginning in 2021. Evergreen Economics was contracted by SDG&E on behalf of the CPUC to evaluate the process and load impacts of the programs. D.24-05-065 and D.26-06-006 delayed the second evaluation, which is required to be completed by June 2028.

    Regulatory Documents

  • D.18-06-027: Decision creating the DAC-SASH, DAC-GT, and CSGT programs. 
  • D.18-10-007: Decision correcting and clarifying Decision 18-06-027.
  • D.20-07-008: Decision implementing automatic enrollment of PG&E's DAC-GT program.
  • Resolution E-4999: Approves PG&E's, SCE's, and SDG&E's DAC-GT and CSGT program implementation plans with modifications.
  • Resolution E-5102: Approves Clean Power Alliance’s DAC-GT and CSGT program implementation plans with modifications.
  • Resolution E-5124: Approves CleanPowerSF’s, East Bay Community Energy’s, Marin Clean Energy’s, Peninsula Clean Energy’s, and San Jose Clean Energy’s DAC-GT and/or CSGT program implementation plans with modifications.
  • Resolution E-5125: Approves with modification PG&E’s and SCE’s requests to adjust administrative and marketing budget caps for the DAC-GT and/or CSGT programs.
  • Resolution E-5130: Approves Lancaster Choice Energy’s, Pico Rivera Innovative Municipal Energy’s, and San Jacinto Power’s DAC-GT program implementation plans with modifications. 
  • Resolution E-5212: Approves two PFMs of Resolution E-4999, updates CalEnviroScreen geographic eligibility requirements, and expands DAC-GT and CSGT eligibility to California Indian Country. 
  • Resolution E-5246: Approves San Diego Community Power’s DAC-GT and CSGT program implementation plans with modifications.
  • Resolution E-5367: Approves PG&E's and SCE's DAC-GT cost containment cap proposal update.
  • Resolution E-5435: Approves Orange County Power Authority's tariff to implement the DAC-GT program.
  • D.24-05-065 modified the DAC-GT program and discontinued the majority of the CSGT program.

Reporting

Pursuant to Decision 18-06-027 and Resolution E-4999, each Program Administrator must file and serve quarterly and semi-annual reports describing, among other items, the capacity procured, capacity online, and customers subscribed. D.26-06-006 requires Program Administrators to transition all reporting to the California Distributed Generation Statistics website, which is expected to be completed by the end of 2026.

Historical program reports can be found in the R.14-07-002 proceeding docket under the Documents tab.

 

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