The president of the state's Public Utilities Commission heard from San Diego Gas & Electric, the solar industry and residents at a hearing at San Diego City Hall.
Michael Picker was gathering information about net metering at a hearing put together by state Sen. Marty Block (D-San Diego).
Net metering is the system that allows power customers with solar panels to sell electricity back to utilities. It was created as a way to encourage the adoption of solar.
But the program is about to undergo some major changes.
SDG&E said the local market will reach its cap for net metered customers sometime next summer and state regulators are looking at new rules that could scrap net metering, change it, or leave it alone.
Information gathering at hearings like the one in San Diego on Wednesday are designed to give regulators the insight they need to chart the state's next step when it comes to solar energy.
The commission is expected to have new rules developed by the end of the year.
