View the August 12, 2021, CSLB Announcement on Contractor Classifications Authorized to Install Battery Energy Storage Systems


 

Final Report for UC Berkeley Contract with the Contractor State License Board for contract CSLB-20-01, entitled “Energy Storage Systems Consultant Services”

 

Summary

This report, carried out at the request of the California State Licensing Board, evaluates alternative proposals for the specific contractor license(s) that should be required for battery energy storage systems (BESS), particularly those installed in conjunction with installations of solar photovoltaic (solar PV) systems. The rapid and safe development of the BESS industry—i.e., businesses that design, install, maintain, and repair BESS—is essential for actualizing California’s commitment to achieve 100% carbon-free electricity, as mandated in SB 100 and other laws and orders. Contractor license requirements, including for emerging technologies such as BESS, determine the minimum qualifications that business owners and their workforces must meet to be allowed to install specific technologies; their purpose is to ensure consumer protection, including safety and the general welfare of the public. They are therefore a fundamental component of the California state government’s support for and oversight of the construction industry, including of specialty contractors who install emerging technologies such as BESS.

Read the full report.