On December 15, the California Public Utilities Fee (CPUC) voted unanimously to approve the state’s subsequent section of the net-metering program. The brand new “net-billing” program will lower the incentives paid for extra photo voltaic era by a mean of 75%, in response to the California Photo voltaic & Storage Affiliation (CALSSA). The method has taken over a yr and resulted in quite a few proposed selections. CALSSA frolicked and assets to push again towards a few of the most dangerous points of earlier iterations.
“Photo voltaic advocates are proud we had been capable of battle again towards essentially the most egregious assaults on rooftop photo voltaic the CPUC included in earlier proposed modifications to web metering. We stopped a discriminatory photo voltaic tax and guarded present photo voltaic customers from a damaged deal,” stated Bernadette Del Chiaro, govt director of CALSSA.
“Nonetheless, the modifications to web metering authorised by the CPUC are a step backwards once we actually have to be shifting ahead with photo voltaic and battery storage. It’s a darkish day in California when the utility regulators attempt to block out the solar. The photo voltaic motion will proceed on the lookout for methods to maintain rooftop photo voltaic rising and reasonably priced in California regardless of this setback,” she continued.
The Middle for Organic Variety, Atmosphere California and Environmental Working Group all condemned the brand new resolution in press statements.
“What the CPUC did as we speak is a shame and a disservice not solely to Californians, however to the nation,” stated EWG president and Bay Space resident Ken Cook dinner. “The fee’s resolution will hammer the residential photo voltaic market in California and undercut Gov. Newsom’s pledge to be the nation’s chief in constructing a 100% clear vitality grid.”
The brand new net-billing construction options base hourly export compensation charges with a special 24-hour profile for every month and for weekends vs. weekdays. These additionally range by utility, however all three common out to be round 3¢/kWh, down from 30¢/kWh on common, in response to CALSSA.
The CPUC has emphasised {that a} major aim of the brand new program is to encourage extra individuals to pair photo voltaic with storage to dispatch photo voltaic to the grid when it wants the facility most. However CALSSA believes these modifications aren’t almost complete sufficient to assist the expansion of a completely new trade.
“No person ought to need to open up this [Avoided Cost Calculator] chart every day and see if they need to reprogram their battery. We’re not there but. That is the entire concept of the [glide path],” Del Chiaro stated.
Now begins the countdown to Web Metering 2.0 sundown. The fee will implement this sundown inside 120 days, however clients that full an interconnection software earlier than that interval will stay underneath NEM 2.0.
