Analysis by CEC Economics
Highlights
- Homeowners are more likely to invest in renewable energy sources such as solar panels or geothermal heating systems. In 2022, solar made up 1.9% of owner-occupied households and just 0.3% of renter-occupied households. On the other hand, the share of renter-occupied households using electricity as the heating fuel source is about double that of owner-occupied households. In 2022, electricity was the heating fuel source in 21.3% of owner-occupied households and in 41.0% of renter-occupied households. Overall, about 30% of households are heated with electricity. Recently, there have been efforts to increase access to renewable energy sources for renters, such as community solar projects and government-funded incentives for landlords to invest in energy-efficient upgrades.
- Utility gas remains the dominant heating fuel source in California, accounting for over eight million households in 2022 while all other sources served over five million households. However, it is losing market share (i.e., the number of occupied housing units using a particular fuel divided by the total number of households) among both homeowners and renters. Among homeowners, solar (+8.4%) and other fuel (+18.6%) had the greatest percentage growth compared to 2021. Meanwhile, electricity grew 2.1% year-over-year while utility gas fell 0.4%. Similarly, in renter-occupied housing, solar (+13.1%) and other fuel (+4.0%) also had the highest percentage year-over-year growth while electricity grew at a similar pace (2.0%).
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