Guest Author: Bernie Pelletier
Vice President, People’s Action for Clean Energy
2026 BuildGreenCT Judy Swann Green Building Advocate
Buildings are no longer simply places where people live and work. Increasingly, they are becoming active participants in Connecticut’s electric grid, generating solar power, storing energy in batteries, charging electric vehicles, and eventually responding intelligently to changing grid conditions.
Connecticut’s new solar legislation—Public Act 26-127—recognizes this evolution. While much attention has focused on the bill’s passage, the most important work is only beginning. Over the next eighteen months, state agencies and regulators will determine how the new programs will actually operate, creating an important opportunity for the design and building community to help shape the future.
Perhaps the most significant achievement of the legislation is that it extends Connecticut’s Residential, Commercial, and Shared Clean Energy programs through 2035. Rather than simply extending today’s programs, however, the legislature directed PURA to develop an entirely new framework beginning January 1, 2028.
In designing these programs, PURA has been instructed to look beyond simply encouraging solar installations. The new programs must consider how distributed solar supports the electric grid, how time-varying electric rates can reward energy production when it is most valuable, how both solar customers and non-participating customers benefit, and how battery storage can work alongside solar generation.
The legislation also establishes annual megawatt and financial limits for future incentive programs, creating greater predictability while encouraging cost-effective deployment.
Another important milestone is Connecticut’s authorization of plug-in solar systems of up to 1,200 watts. Once building and electrical code requirements are completed, these systems will allow residents—including many who cannot install conventional rooftop arrays—to participate in clean energy using equipment that plugs into a standard 120-volt receptacle.
Public Act 26-127 also directs the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) to develop recommendations for agrivoltaics—solar installations designed to preserve productive farmland while generating electricity. In addition, municipalities that already host substantial amounts of solar generation are given new tools to manage future project siting.
At the same time, the phase-out of the federal 30 percent Investment Tax Credit will increase project costs. Recognizing this challenge, the legislature included provisions encouraging automated permitting for qualifying solar projects, reducing permitting delays and other “soft costs” that can significantly affect project economics.
For members of Build Green CT, the legislation carries an important message: thoughtful building design is becoming an integral part of energy policy. Decisions made during design—building orientation, roof geometry, structural capacity, electrical infrastructure, conduit pathways, battery locations, and EV-ready wiring—will increasingly determine whether buildings can take advantage of Connecticut’s evolving clean energy programs. Designing buildings that are solar-ready, battery-ready, and EV-ready is quickly becoming a best practice rather than an optional feature.
Just as importantly, architects, builders, engineers, and developers have expertise that regulators need. Over the coming months, PURA, DEEP, the State Building Inspector, and the Codes and Standards Committee will all be developing regulations and implementation guidance. Their decisions will influence how practical, affordable, and effective these programs become.
Public Act 26-127 establishes the legislative framework. The implementation process will determine its success. The green building community has an opportunity—and a responsibility—to help ensure that Connecticut’s next generation of clean energy programs is practical, innovative, and aligned with the realities of designing and constructing high-performance buildings.
PACE is a public health and environmental organization formed in 1973 by a group of concerned Connecticut citizens. Their mission is to transition Connecticut to clean energy through grassroots education and advocacy.
Through their 100PercentCT Project, they are developing viable plans for individual towns to move to 100% renewable energy. PACE provides outreach and education on clean energy issues at public events, legislative hearings and environmental forums. PACE is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization.