Loading...

Empowering Western NC and Upstate SC with Solar Since 1995

Solar power net metering and the relationship between power producers and consumers is a pretty hot topic these days. If you are a French Broad Electric Membership Corporation (FBEMC) member, you know that their position on net metering is harmful to those members that are trying to produce clean, renewable energy. To make changes to policy here in our mountains, please sign a petition to Board Members of FBEMC- the link appears at the end of this blog.

For a solid perspective on net metering issues, we are posting an article out of the respected Rocky Mountain Institute which was recently published on Greentech Media:

The Net Energy Metering Debate- Symptom of a Much Deeper Issue

By Ned Harvey & Virginia Lacy of Rocky Mountain Institute

Greentech Media’s recent post, “Solar’s Net Metering Under Attack” illustrates the growing debate over the sustainability of policies meant to grow our renewable future. In this case, net energy metering (NEM) was the focus of a spirited debate between Travis Bradford, founder of the Prometheus Institute for Sustainable Development, and Westinghouse Solar CEO, Barry Cinnamon, at the GTM Solar Summit in Phoenix, AZ, earlier in the month.

At Rocky Mountain Institute, we agree that these issues are critical as the market for distributed renewables continues to grow, as we expect it will – and believe it should. The bottom line: Cinnamon andBradfordare both right. And on at least point, they agree: Net metering is only a symptom of a much deeper challenge.

The U.S. electricity system is changing (and a customer becoming a power generator is only one example). Our 21st century technology is colliding with institutional structures that have remained relatively unchanged since the 20th century. In fact, both Cinnamon and Bradford identified the real issues at play: taking a renewed look at the costs and benefits of distributed generation, the fair allocation of these costs and benefits, and rethinking the underlying rate structures and business models that pit utilities against the growing demand for clean, green, distributed generation.

Both sides of this argument would benefit by starting to collaborate to design the electrical system of the future. This is likely to be the only way to reach a shared understanding and mechanisms for identifying real costs and values of distributed resources and design effective market-based mechanisms for sharing them.

Several key points must be considered in this debate. Currently, full retail solar power net metering is an extremely effective mechanism to promote solar adoption and drive near-term scale and cost reduction in the PV industry. However, as penetration rates grow and customer behaviors change in the coming years, NEM is simply insufficient. While some customers may not be paying their fair share for services they receive from the grid, others may not be receiving the value of the power they’re supplying. As a first step, it’s time to start rethinking how we recognize, calculate and allocate real costs and value in our electricity system.

To engender a cost-effective, reliable and affordable system, neither side should sweep the other’s perceptions of the costs or benefits under the rug.

The growth of distributed generation represents a fundamental shift in the formerly one-way power system from both a technical and institutional perspective. To make optimal investments and reduce total system costs, we must recognize the interaction with the larger system: the grid. Although the total amount of energy demanded from the grid is smaller through efficiency and on-site renewable generation, the solar customer’s demand profile could change substantially. On smaller timescales, such as hours, day and weeks, the amount of grid power that must be imported or exported could fluctuate considerably. In fact, a solar customer’s peak demand on the grid could be when he or she is exporting power.

It’s critical to create complementary signals and incentives for customers to be able to respond to system needs and accrue the value they could bring. Without the right signals, this may also have unintended negative consequences for the development of other distributed grid technologies, such as advanced demand response technologies or distributed storage provided by electrical vehicles.

These are tough problems, and we don’t pretend to have all of the answers. To start to tackle these and other issues standing between our present reality and the potential for our electricity system, RMI (Rocky Mountain Institute) is working with diverse partners to reevaluate the regulatory construct to most effectively align utility and societal goals and incentives, and harmonize business models of utilities and distributed resource developers to support the long-term sustained growth of renewable industries through an initiative dubbed the Electricity Innovation Lab launching this summer.

_________________________________________

Please consider signing the FBEMC net metering petition  which points out to the Board all the reasons why net metering should be the standard policy. Thanks!

Installing solar panels in Asheville

Why Partner with Sundance Power Systems?

Our 5 step design process sets the standard

Our Renewable Energy Consultants are not high-pressure sales people offering poorly constructed solutions and pipe-dream financing options. Our 5 Step Process is based upon listening to our customers and designing systems that empower a clean energy lifestyle.

Contact Sundance today
for a free evaluation

    Work Type