As a solar commentator and advocate, I feel compelled to share about a recent conflict brewing in North Carolina. This situation has implications for consumers everywhere, especially those considering installing solar panels for their homes. The folks in the Tar Heel state are grappling with issues related to solar net metering, an essential component of harnessing solar power and promoting consumer adoption.
Duke Energy, a major electric utility, was recently allowed to slash the compensation they offer customers who export excess rooftop solar generation back to the grid. This scheme, known as net metering, essentially means that solar companies and utilities need to compensate solar owners when they generate more local, emissions-free energy than they consume.
Environmental advocacy organizations there have now appealed this ruling, arguing that Duke Energy has ignored the obvious benefits of customer-sited solar in their assessment of net metering rates.
This obviously raises eyebrows for solar companies and consumers everywhere. What does it mean for you if your solar array for home is producing more than you need, but you’re compensated less? Well, it could mean that your initial investment in solar takes longer to recoup.
Under Duke’s new plan, net metering credit rates are cut to a low rate of only $0.03 per kWh, a dramatic decrease from a value which had previously varied between $0.05 and $0.20 per kWh. This sort of reduction in compensation could genuinely hurt the value proposition of having a solar array for home, limiting the growth of emission-free electricity generation, despite a global push towards cleaner energy solutions.
In addition, Duke’s rate case reportedly enforces a minimum bill on solar customers of between $22 to $28 per month, regardless of whether their electricity demand is fully met by their private solar array’s production or not.
Attorney Matthew Quinn, representing the environmental advocates, has indicated that customer savings may drop as much as 31% under the new program. Furthermore, the projected increase in electric bills for rooftop solar customers sits uncomfortably between 16.5% and 118%.
What this case highlights is the importance of not only conducting a comprehensive cost-benefit analysis of solar net metering but also considering who carries out such an analysis. In this instance, Duke Energy conducted its own study, with regulators using this internal data to come to their conclusions. This raises a crucial question: can any solar company give an unbiased analysis of its own practices?
As we await the decision from the Appeals Court, this scenario serves as a poignant reminder of the need for transparency and fair practices within the solar industry. For those of you who may be looking to partner with solar companies or those considering installing solar panels for your home, remember this example and the importance of comprehensive, unbiased data when it comes to understanding the true benefits and costs.
Original Articlehttps://pv-magazine-usa.com/2024/02/09/north-carolina-appeals-court-weighs-critical-rooftop-solar-decision/
