SO FRUSTRATING............ via Dory Hippauf Battery-Stored Solar Power Sparks Backlash From Utilities By Ehren Goossens & Mark Chediak - Oct 8, 2013 4:11 PM ET BLOOMBERG bloomberg/news/2013-10-07/battery-stored-solar-power-sparks-backlash-from-utilities.html California’s three biggest utilities are sparring with their own customers about systems that store energy from the sun, opening another front in the battle that’s redefining the mission of electricity generators. Edison International (EIX), PG&E Corp. and Sempra Energy (SRE) said they’re putting up hurdles to some battery backups wired to solar panels because they can’t be certain the power flowing back to the grid from the units is actually clean energy. The dispute threatens the state’s $2 billion rooftop solar industry and indicates the depth of utilities’ concerns about consumers producing their own power. People with rooftop panels are already buying less electricity, and adding batteries takes them closer to the day they won’t need to buy from the local grid at all, said Ben Peters, a government affairs analyst at Mainstream Energy Corp., which installs solar systems. “The utilities clearly see rooftop solar as the next threat,” Peters said from his office in Sunnyvale, California. “They’re trying to limit the growth.” California is the largest of the 43 states encouraging renewables by requiring utilities to buy electricity from consumer solar installations, typically at the same price that customers pay for power from the grid. The policy, known as net metering, offers a way for households to reduce their bills. It underpinned a 78 percent surge in the state’s residential installations in the second quarter from a year earlier, according to the Solar Energy Industries Association. MEANWHILE: Arizona Fights for Its Solar Energy Rights | Keally DeWitt | August 14, 2013 renewableenergyworld/rea/blog/post/2013/08/arizona-fight-for-its-solar-rights Arizona Public Service (APS) recently proposed a drastic overhaul of net energy metering (NEM) policy in areas where it operates. APS’s plan, submitted in July to the state’s utility regulatory body — the Arizona Corporation Commission (ACC) would replace consumer-friendly NEM practices with terms — and economics — more favorable to the monopoly electricity provider. APS’s proposal, if approved by a majority of the five-member ACC, would mean "doomsday" for rooftop solar in Arizona. APS has put forth two options to replace NEM policy. The first is to add a charge of $50-$100 or more to solar homeowners’ bills for the ‘use of the grid.’ The second option is to credit solar homeowners at the wholesale rate, ignoring the fact that clean, local energy is worth more than fossil fuel-generated energy being transported hundreds of miles. Currently, wholesale value is a third to a quarter of retail. Both options would eliminate any financial benefits for homeowners, especially those in the working or middle classes, who want to control costs with rooftop solar. AND in Georgia: Company, customers debate raising rates on solar mdjonline/pages/full_story/push?article-Company-+customers+debate+raising+rates+on+solar+&id=23774615&instance=secondary_story_left_column MARIETTA — Going green could carry an extra price tag. Georgia Power says customers with solar panels on their homes or businesses who don’t opt into the company’s Advanced Solar Initiative need to start paying an extra fee on their power bill. The energy monopoly has asked the Georgia Public Service Commission for permission to raise its rates an average of $8 monthly for residential customers. Coupled with that is a request to charge an extra $22 monthly on the typical home solar system. John Kraft, Georgia Power spokesman, says the fee is needed because solar customers buy less power from the utility but still require access to the grid and other infrastructure.
Posted on: Wed, 09 Oct 2013 17:37:21 +0000