California Wants to Take Solar Inspections Remote | Solar Coaster | EP 54

California is moving toward a major change in how residential clean-energy projects are inspected. Assembly Bill 1738 would require qualifying California jurisdictions to offer remote inspection options for certain residential projects, including solar photovoltaic systems and battery storage. Instead of always waiting for an inspector to physically visit a property, qualifying inspections could potentially be completed using live video, recorded photos, or recorded video. That sounds like a simple administrative change. But it raises a much bigger question: Can California remove one of the bottlenecks slowing home electrification without weakening the safeguards designed to protect homeowners? In this episode of The Solar Coaster, Anna Covert and Alex Herrera examine both sides of California’s push toward remote inspections. We discuss why inspection delays matter to solar contractors and homeowners, how remote inspections could reduce soft costs and scheduling problems, why batteries and electrical systems require careful oversight, and why implementation may ultimately matter more than the legislation itself. The episode also explores a larger issue facing the clean-energy industry: how much of permitting, inspection, and compliance can be digitized without sacrificing accountability? Remote inspection may not transform residential solar on its own. But eliminating friction at thousands of individual projects could have a meaningful cumulative impact on how quickly clean-energy technologies reach American homes. **ABOUT THE SOLAR COASTER** The Solar Coaster explores the rapidly changing solar and clean-energy industry—from technology and policy to sales, marketing, economics, regulation, and the forces shaping the future of energy. 🌐 The Solar Coaster https://solarcoaster.com/ 📖 The Solar Coaster Book https://solarcoasterbook.com/ ☀️ Sun Energy Today https://sunenergytoday.com/ --- **ABOUT YOUR HOSTS** **Anna Covert** Founder of Covert Communication | Author of *The Covert Code* | Host of *The Covert Code Podcast* 🌐 Anna Covert https://annacovert.com/ 🌐 Covert Communication https://covertcommunication.com/ 🎙️ The Covert Code Podcast https://thecovertcode.com/ 📘 *The Covert Code* https://www.amazon.com/dp/1955884916 **Alex Herrera** Solar industry executive, entrepreneur, and co-host of *The Solar Coaster*. 🔗 LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/alex-herrera-solar/ --- **PRESENTED BY SUN ENERGY TODAY** Sun Energy Today brings together solar news, industry insights, technology, policy, and information for professionals and consumers navigating the rapidly evolving energy market. 🌐 https://sunenergytoday.com/ --- Subscribe to **The Solar Coaster** for conversations about solar, storage, energy technology, policy, manufacturing, and the future of the clean-energy industry.