The Solar Industry Responds to Utility Attacks on Net Metering

[jpak]

http://www.greentechmedia.com/articles/read/The-Solar-Industry-Responds-to-Utility-Attacks-on-Net-Metering

A recently published primer on net energy metering (NEM) from the solar industry explains why it is under attack by utilities across the country -- and explores how the two opposing sides might come to terms.

“As the penetration of distributed solar generation increases, the debate on NEM policies and impacts is intensifying,” concluded the authors of a new report, Ratemaking, Solar Value and Solar Net Energy Metering: A Primer, from the Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA). “Utilities in some regions have observed distributed solar adoption at rates not previously forecast and are now seeing significant amounts of grid-tied solar on their systems.”

“Between 2011 and 2012, the number of newly installed solar NEM systems increased from 61,400 to 89,620 -- a 46 percent annual growth rate -- bringing the cumulative total to 302,380 NEM systems,” the SEPA study reported. “By year end 2012, U.S. solar generation under net metering totaled more than 3,500 megawatts-AC. It is striking to consider that in 2005, when EPACT passed, total grid-connected solar capacity nationwide was only about 200 megawatts-AC.”

The utility industry is starting to think about these disruptive changes. As a recent report from the Edison Electric Institute concluded, "Disruptive forces, if not actively addressed, threaten the viability of old-line exposed industries.”

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[mpgalloway]

1. More Greed From Energy Corporations:

Yep, makes sense. If sunlight makes for generating cheaper energy and can save customers money then, they are going to raise their inflated rates to gouge us more.

Alternative energy scares the crap out of our corporate masters.

The main reason our economy will never recover. Any little recovery and they raise the gas and energy prices to choke it again! Make them pay taxes like the rest of us.

[pscot]

2. K&R

[Finishline42]

3. The Utilities need to step up

Or PV is going to do to the utilities what the internet has done to newspapers.