L.A. FiT doesn’t mean fit for the beach or the Hollywood strip. In this case, it refers to Los Angeles’ popular Green L.A. solar feed-in tariff program, which already aims to install 150 megawatts of solar photovoltaics (PV) on Los Angeles’ commercial rooftops and parking structures. However, the city’s incoming Mayor Eric Garcetti (D), aims to expand it more than tenfold to 1.2 gigawatts of rooftop. That might be an issue with Fred Pickel, the city’s ratepayer advocate in the Office of Public Accountability (OPA).  

The U.S. has smashed past the previous record for solar installations in the first quarter of the year, installing 723 megawatts of new photovoltaics (PV) in the first quarter of 2013. In fact, only three total quarters in the U.S. have ever seen higher rates of new installation. Given that the first quarter has been the slowest quarter for new installations throughout the nation, this is another indication that solar is set for record growth throughout the rest of the year. 

On June 10, preliminary, real-time data from California’s Independent System Operator (ISO), shows that for the first time, the state’s utility-scale solar installations—including concentrating solar power and photovoltaics—surpassed 2 gigawatts of generating capacity, pumping more than 2.1 gigawatts of electricity onto the state’s grid at 1 p.m., which accounted for more than 5 percent of the state’s total energy demand at the time. That surpasses the previous high of 2,071 megawatts produced at peak last Friday—the first time it surpassed 2,000 megawatts of generation. Both records hint at the looming summer of record breakers for the state’s utility-scale solar installations.

Thanks to solar’s resiliency, falling prices and ability to help out in disasters, New York is anticipating more solar installed in 2013 than ever before in the Empire state and in New York City. That’s based on experts who discussed the “Tipping Point for Solar in New York” at the City University of New York (CUNY), which held the seventh annual NYC Solar Summit last week.

Solar renewable energy credits (SRECs) are being used in a number of U.S. states, particularly along the East Coast, to incentivize solar. But the question is: Does the U.S. need higher SREC requirements and more markets? Or are SRECs creating boom and bust cycles in markets that don’t promote job stability or even pricing stability?

Californians Against Utilities Stopping Solar Energy (CAUSE) is increasing its efforts to support clean, locally produced energy. The recently minted advocacy organization, which formed this past April, is comprised of solar companies, advocates and doctors. Now they have joined with the American Lung Association to petition the California Energy Commission (CEC) to study the air and economic benefits that the state’s net-metering policy offers to Californians.  

Love ‘em or hate ‘em, but homeowner associations (HOAs) can either help or hinder solar. Now The Solar Foundation and the SunShot Initiative’s Solar Outreach Partnership have introduced a new guide, “A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood: Encouraging Solar Development through Community Association Policies and Processes” for HOAs to encourage responsible solar within their communities. 

This weekend Stellar Solar’s Mobile Solar Station will start powering events throughout San Diego County. Already three events—Encinitas Environment Day, KPRi Green Flash Concert, Summer Fun on the 101—will take advantage of the 2 kilowatt mobile solar generator. Stellar—a solar installer—has announced that the generator is available to power other events—for free! 

On June 4, the European Union decided to impose provisional anti-dumping tariffs of nearly 50 percent of Chinese photovoltaic (PV) solar modules. But there’s a silver lining for Chinese PV manufacturers: they have until August to curb their anti-competitive practices, before the full impact of the tariffs take effect. In response, China is now investigating imposing sanctions, as well—on European wine.

As SunPower prepares to install its 10,000th residential system, the company says that it anticipates that solar will be on 20 percent of all new homes built in California this year. That’s based on recent trends, like the doubling of solar on new homes between 2011 and 2012, renewed efforts through the California Solar Initiative (CSI) under the New Solar Homes Partnership, and at least two municipalities in California that have revised their building codes to require solar on all new homes.