The shift towards renewable energy has taken a significant leap forward in Northern and Central California, where Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) recently announced surpassing 1 million customers with solar systems connected to its grid. This milestone reflects decades of steady solar growth driven by residential, commercial, and utility-scale installations.
Decades of Solar Growth
Solar adoption within PG&E’s service area has evolved notably since the 1990s. Initial solar activity was limited, but advancements and incentives spurred growth throughout the 2000s and accelerated rapidly in the 2010s. Between 2020 and 2025 alone, more than half a million new solar interconnections were made, with an average of over 70,000 installations annually in the past two years.
Supporting Solar at Every Scale
PG&E’s solar connections range from small residential setups to large commercial systems and extensive utility-scale projects. Jason Glickman, PG&E’s Executive Vice President of Strategy and Growth, emphasized the company’s commitment: “PG&E supports solar at every scale and has enabled more solar adoption than any utility in the country.”
The Future of Solar and Grid Resilience
While hitting one million customer solar connections is a significant achievement, PG&E is focusing on the future. The company is developing virtual power plants (VPPs), which coordinate networks of customer-owned solar and battery systems to support the grid during peak demand or local constraints. Additionally, PG&E is piloting bidirectional electric vehicle (EV) charging, further integrating renewable energy technologies.
Why This Matters
This milestone highlights California’s leadership in clean energy adoption and the positive environmental impact of expanding solar power. Moreover, the integration of solar with energy storage solutions and innovative technologies like VPPs and smart EV charging strengthens grid reliability and resilience, benefiting all customers in the region.
Continued investment in solar infrastructure not only reduces greenhouse gas emissions but also drives economic growth through new jobs and innovation in the renewable energy sector.
Conclusion
PG&E’s achievement of more than 1 million solar-connected customers marks a pivotal moment in the transition to clean energy. As the utility advances toward a more resilient and sustainable grid with virtual power plants and EV integration, PG&E is setting an example for utilities nationwide, demonstrating that the future of energy lies in customer-driven solar power coupled with smart technology.