That, my friends, is the sound of the California solar market grinding to a halt — which is exactly what will happen if we don’t lift the cap on net metering.
Net metering, of course, is the policy that allows you to roll you meter backwards when you generate more solar electricity than you use. By allowing you to reduce your utility bill commensurate with what you generate, it makes a solar system more economical. And by maximizing the amount of electricity on the grid during peak periods–when the system needs it most and electricity is most expensive–net metering saves all ratepayers money.
In Calfornia, utilities’s obligation to offer net metering is currently capped at 2.5 % of system peak load–a limit we’ll likely reach in parts of the state within this legislative cycle. If the Legislature does not act, California’s solar industry would take a serious hit. AB 560 (Skinner) would raise the cap to 10%, and is a top priority for the California solar industry this year.
We are in for a serious fight. The state’s investor owned utilities…how to put it?…have yet to fully embrace a lifting of the cap. Press is picking up on the issue (see article in San Jose Mercury News, KPIX primetime news story, and even The New York Times). But we need to make sure that Sacramento hears you loud and clear. AB 560 would raise the cap to 10%. It’s passed the Assembly, and faces a key hurdle in the Senate Energy, Utilities, and Communications Committee on June 30.
More info on endorsements, press, and all things net metering here, a page we designed especially for you.
If you are a California resident and want to take action, you can do so here.
