After many months of solar industry protests, the California Solar & Storage Association (CALSSA) is expecting the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) to release its proposed decision on net metering on or before September 29. Based on the 90-day window that began with the July 1, 2022 deadline for intervenor comments on the CPUC proceeding on net metering, a new proposed decision is expected to be released on or before September 29, 2022. The timeline for the new proposed decision is not expected to be changed by a recent procedural ruling extending the statutory deadline for the overall proceeding.
The CPUC issued an initial proposed decision in December 2021 that would have added new grid-use charges and shifted to a net billing structure, which combined would have resulted in lower incentives for rooftop solar customers. In February 2022, after outcry from solar supporters, the new commission president Alice Reynolds asked for more time to analyze the record and consider revisions to the proposed decision on NEM 3.0. A public comment period ensued in May 2022, and CALSSA organized protests to keep advocating against any new solar fees.
Bernadette Del Chiaro, executive director of CALSSA, issued the following written statement on the anticipated proposed decision deadline:
“Solar consumers, green workers, affordable housing advocates, climate activists and clean energy supporters of all types eagerly await a new proposed decision by the CPUC. Taking unpopular and bad ideas pushed by investor-owned utilities — like a solar tax or drastically reducing net metering credits — off the table cannot come soon enough. With rooftop solar’s vital contribution to reaching California’s clean energy goals, the promise of battery storage for grid reliability, and new federal incentives for going solar, now is not the time to slam the brakes on California’s progress by making solar unaffordable. Instead, we need to keep up our momentum towards bringing affordable rooftop solar and energy storage to more consumers. “
I’d like to see an objective analysis of all perspectives presented. I don’t know where to get that. After 30+ years in the utility business I can comprehend both sides of this issue if presented objective facts.
This presentation has too much of “it’s best because we want it”. Don’t tell me what’s best for society, give us real facts and trust that someone who may or may not agree with you can also reach a fair position.
It is critical to fight monthly Net Billing as the sun cycle is yearly, not monthly. We need to design rooftop solar PV system to maximize yearly efficiency, not monthly. Furthermore, West facing PVs are best for the grid resilience as they generate more electricity late afternoon, when the grid is typically most stressed. Monthly Net Billing would favor South facing PV systems as they produced more in winter than West facing PV systems.
Also, at a time when electric heat pump should be deployed to reduce fossil fuel dependance, doing a monthly true up will prevent solar customer to use their summer excess generation for electric heating consumption during the winter months. This would slow adoption of heat pump when adressing climate change needs us to encourage heat pump broad installation.
Finally, electricity storage and electricity sharing during EEAs should be incentivized. Similarly V2G (Vehicle to Grid) should be encouraged. Both would increase grid resilience.
See this Reddit post for how you can make your voice hear on this issue: https://www.reddit.com/r/solar/comments/ws2g4f/nem_30_update_and_potential_proposal_date/
I would like to comment to the CPUC about the net metering and the ‘solar tax,’ but I don’t know the proceeding number and the search component on the CPUC’s website provided nothing usable. Could you please tell me which CPUC numbers I need to have in order to make comments on the two proposals?
I am not instilled with confidence that the CPUC won’t solar PV tax adopters for their installed systems. I am appalled the CPUC (Public Utilities Commission) doesn’t look at the consumers first the IOU utility last. The argument of net metering a 1:1 excess energy credit has been instrumental in the amount of solar PV installed in California, going to net billing without consideration of a distributed generation resource that is now being proven to be useful as a VPP, allows the rote IOU electric utilities “avoided costs” that are not passed on to non-solar PV powered homes. APS in Arizona seems to be doing O.K. with a credit rate of something like $0.08/kWh to $0.09/kWh excess energy credit rate and a $0.12/kWh to $0.16/kWh retail residential rate. Be very careful California, the big bad Wolf is at the door and he is taking a really big breath, let’s see if it will be allowed to blow this house down, the one called net metering.