The solar panels and electric vehicle charging stations are planned to be installed and running by summer 2016. There will also be a reduction in the rate of solar credits – that’s solar energy customers send to the grid – from the 35 cents per kilowatt hour, down to 17. If financed over time, monthly payments should be less than the homeowner’s average electric bill.
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With the rise of solar energy, new business models are beginning to emerge.
Over the past 2 years a few of these concerns have become reality in many parts of the world. That’s why the California Public Utilities Commission has been tasked by lawmakers with adopting new rules by the end of the year for “net metering” – the credit users get for their excess energy – that are fairer and better reflect the true costs of providing energy.
COMMUNITY LEADERS, religious and spiritual leaders, community development organizations, academics, and researchers, we urge you to take immediate action to lift the net metering caps and maintain access to the benefits of solar for Massachusetts residents from all walks of life. Customers with solar panels will now also have to pay a minimum monthly bill to help cover the costs of servicing their more complex inter-connections. The best way is to analyze the impact of solar that is not already priced into the market. And those who rent, or whose homes have less favorable solar exposure, can purchase panels installed at a distant location – a solar farm – via remote net metering. Customers with shaded roofs, apartment dwellers, lower-income customers, those with poor credit, and others, can subscribe to a “slice” of a community solar project, and get a credit off their bill.
House Speaker Robert DeLeo on Friday indicated his desire to sever the solar portion from a more comprehensive energy bill that he hopes to pass next year that would also focus on developing markets for wind, hydro and other sources of renewable energy. In September the Spanish government won a court case that was an attempt to force restoration of these subsidies.
It is not only residential homes and businesses that benefit from solar, but also the overall economy; the demand for photovoltaic solar panel installations is proportional to employment opportunities.
Those in the solar industry say the new rules will drastically reduce the demand for rooftop solar. If a roof is partially shaded, even seasonally, it may not be feasible to install solar at that location, and if you live in a multi-owner building, where you don’t own the roof, it can be challenging to have “owned solar” on-site.
Believe it or not I am actually a big believer in solar power.
Massachusetts ranked fourth in the country for the amount of solar-energy capacity installed in 2014 and has the sixth-highest total solar capacity in the nation, according to report released earlier this year from the Environment Massachusetts Research & Policy Center. Under Going Solar, households may acquire PV installations at about one-third the normal retail price. These facilities will consistently generate more than 50% of the electricity required at mid-day on the island.
“Solar canopies are shining examples of Massachusetts’ commitment to clean, local energy, particularly at our state colleges, universities, state agencies and authorities”, Governor Charlie Baker said in a statement. Innovative projects such as the Khafji Saltwater Desalination plant point to a future where not only energy but abundant fresh water will be available in these areas. Energy storage systems based upon molten salt, batteries, or other technologies need further development and significant R&D funding needs to be directed towards this effort.
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As simple as this process sounds, it has generated a huge debate within the electric power industry.
