Kickoff Marathon Reading set for Sept. 19, launching a year of events exploring Mary Roach’s witty look at human-wildlife encounters.
As federal tax credits and state net-metering benefits fade, Loma Linda University Health, Esri, Kaiser Permanente and others show how large organizations invested in renewable energy over the past five years.
REDLANDS, Calif. — The Redlands Police Community Foundation has elected Chris Martin as its new president, succeeding Judy Cannon, who served
As federal tax credits and state net-metering benefits fade, Loma Linda University Health, Esri, Kaiser Permanente and others show how large organizations invested in renewable energy over the past five years.
With federal solar tax credits set to expire after 2025 and California’s net-metering payouts reduced, households may soon find it harder to afford rooftop panels. But in the Inland Empire, many of the region’s largest employers have already secured major solar systems in recent years, underscoring both the benefits and the stakes.
From Loma Linda University Health’s new two-megawatt microgrid to Esri’s campus-wide rooftop arrays and Kaiser Permanente’s solar-plus-storage hospital system in Ontario, institutions are betting on clean energy for predictable costs, resilience and sustainability.
Why it matters: Their investments highlight what’s at risk for smaller adopters as federal and state incentives shrink. With new federal legislation reshaping incentives, projects like these highlight the value of local, reliable power that can cut costs and keep running during emergencies.
Loma Linda University Health has unveiled a renewable microgrid system that will power its Faculty Medical Clinics with clean, reliable energy while reducing costs and supporting long-term sustainability.
After three years of planning and 18 months of construction, the system became fully operational on Aug. 22. It includes 3,622 solar panels capable of generating up to two megawatts of power and a one-megawatt Tesla battery that can store excess energy and provide up to six hours of emergency backup power.
Installed atop the P4 parking garage and above physician parking, the panels also provide shade and support 10 electric vehicle charging stations.
With the microgrid, the clinics can generate 87 percent of their daily electricity needs, saving an estimated $500,000 to $1.5 million annually depending on utility rates. The locked-in energy contract will provide consistent pricing at 15 cents per kilowatt hour for the next 30 years, compared to current Southern California Edison rates of 17 to 24 cents.
“Our solar panel infrastructure strengthens our ability to care for the community, even during emergencies,” said Ricardo Peverini, president of the Loma Linda University Faculty Medical Group. “It reduces our environmental footprint, makes our operations more resilient and saves resources that we can reinvest into patient care. It’s a healthier future for our patients, our staff and our region.”
Loma Linda’s system is one of several major projects completed in the region over the past five years:
In 2022, the city of Redlands passed new rules for distribution warehouse developers requiring rooftop solar as part of the conditions of approval.
As organizations have been adopting solar power, individuals have also been able to take advantage of tax rebates on renewable energy installations through the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act.
While projects like Loma Linda’s showcase the potential of renewable energy, the national policy landscape is moving in the opposite direction. The “One Big Beautiful Bill,” signed into law in July 2025, stripped away many of the clean-energy incentives that previously fueled solar adoption across the country.
Key changes include the elimination of the residential solar tax credit after Dec. 31, 2025. This credit meant that homeowners could get up to 30% off the cost of solar and energy-efficient equipment or installation. Not only do these technologies help reduce climate pollution, they can also make energy bills more affordable.
The law also reduced corporate incentives, scaling back the 30 percent investment tax credit that had helped businesses offset the cost of large solar and storage projects.
A separate incentive for heat pumps and insulation is also ending on Dec. 31, 2025. The incentive is called the Energy Efficient Home Improvement Credit and provides up to $2,000 off heat pumps, water heaters, biomass stoves or boilers on your tax bill. Up to $1,200 was also offered for home upgrades including insulation, doors and windows.
California’s net metering program was recently reduced under NEM 3.0, meaning homeowners exporting energy back to the grid get paid much less than in the past.
The legislation also pulled funding from programs such as Solar For All, which provided millions to help low-income communities adopt clean energy solutions.
What they’re saying: Supporters of eliminating the incentives argue that the tax credit was inflating the price of solar. A report by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) examined the issue of solar financing. In April 2024, it found that some lenders include “substantial markups and fees” that can increase the loan principal by 30 percent or more above the cash price.
“Lenders frequently bake these fees (commonly referred to within the industry as ‘dealer fees’) into the loan principal but often do not indicate that these fees are a markup from the total cash price that consumers pay for the system installation.”
Those opposed to cutting the credit argue that it has been vital in supporting wider adoption of solar panels. A survey by EnergySage warned that eliminating the incentive will result in major market disruption, including job losses and shuttered small businesses.
“An overwhelming 92.3 percent of solar installers reported that cutting the tax credit would harm or dramatically harm their businesses, with nearly two-thirds expecting ‘dramatic harm.’ When asked what their first change would be if the tax credit were eliminated, almost 6 percent said they would exit the industry.”
What’s still available: Despite the cuts, Californians still have options. The federal 30% Residential Clean Energy Tax Credit remains in place for systems installed and commissioned through the end of 2025. Commercial projects can still claim a 30% credit if they begin construction by July 2026.
At the state level, the California Public Utilities Commission’s Self-Generation Incentive Program (SGIP) has $280 million in funding for residential solar and storage in disadvantaged communities. The Disadvantaged Communities – Single-Family Solar Homes (DAC-SASH) program is another resource that continues to help qualifying low-income households.
California also maintains its property tax exclusion for solar, ensuring rooftop systems do not increase homeowners’ tax bills.
Even with policy headwinds, large-scale projects across Redlands, Loma Linda and San Bernardino show how institutions have used solar to cut costs, build resilience and reduce emissions. For households and smaller businesses, the question now is how many opportunities remain before the incentives disappear.
Sign up for our weekly newsletter
