There is no sun without shadow : investigating the attitudes towards California’s new solar energy mandate

Sammanfattning: As the current energy system dependency on fossil fuels continues to perpetuate environmental harms, endangers economic stability and exaggerates international conflicts, there has been a growing momentum for a transition towards more sustainable forms of energies. When it comes to policies that aim towards a shift in energy systems, California has been recognized as one of the flagship regions in such solutions. Last year, the state became the first place in the world to mandate solar energy for all new households and major renovations. By employing a case study approach, this thesis investigates attitudes towards the new solar mandate with a focus on residents of Butte county, California. The findings show that the recent crises in the county have increased interest in alternative forms of energy among the households. The respondents are overall receptive towards the new mandate, as it holds the potential to ensure larger energy security and economic benefits in the future. However, the residents also see that the new requirement could possibly overlook certain vulnerable groups of residents as housing tenants and people living in less adequate climatic conditions for sourcing of solar energy. Residents also considered themselves as being left out of the decision-making process. The interviewee reflections are later discussed in a world context by engaging theories in human ecology that reflect potential obstacles such views and mandating household solar energy itself portends to just energy transition. This thesis concludes that while the new photovoltaic requirement resonates with the county respondents, it obscures the potential burdens on certain marginalized groups, which calls for a better incorporation of the concept of justice and investigation of public attitudes in order to ensure a more inclusive shift towards the alternative energy systems, like residential solar energy.