And they are working on selling us the air we breathe.

Trying to make the water we drink more harmful and more expensive.

If electric companies, for the most part, haven't built any new power plants in California.
And lots of solar has come on-line, and windmills
... then why is electricity more expensive now?

The whole thing is a scam. From mining coal, to mis-reading your meter.

I am glad y ou have acquired photovoltaic solar panels.
These will pay for themselves in about 15 years... their purchase price, but they won't pay for all the added pollution to the planet.

But, right now, they are the best that lowly humans are allowed to have.

Do not use your car as a battery bank.
That battery is already super expensive, and even more costly to replace.
Further, you need the energy in the battery, in your car, so you can drive.

Only in emergencies should you draw off of it.

Get yourself some nice nickel-iron batteries for your house system.
Tie them in correctly with over discharge protection and they will last longer than your panels.
(not used in cars because they are heavy)