Utility dream, bad news for solar or conservation
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Utility fixed costs are a tough issue. The next community over just did a big increase. It seems that 4 water main breaks in a week finally got the residents to demand something is done regarding the 70 yo pipes. Granted, something like 10 breaks a year have been happening each year for a while.
Where2
Feeling the Heat
My Power Co. in Florida at 26.8°N provides 0kWh for the base customer charge of $7.58 (up $0.30 over the last 12 months). The $7.58 does not include local municipal taxes, storm surcharges or other fees.
I was recently looking into energy providers at 45.8°N and found that the base customer charge of $7.59 per month includes up to 100kWh of energy for the base charge regardless of whether you used 1kWh or 99.99kWh.
What the base fee covers or includes seems to vary depending on provider and location.
The Koch argument is self-serving politics, period. What is necessary is a sea-change so that commonsense prevails. Contrast the coal state attitude with that of WA state. This is how it is written in our state's law books and should be written in all state's code.
Findings -- Intent -- 2005 c 300: "The legislature finds that the use of renewable energy resources generated from local sources such as solar and wind power benefit our state by reducing the load on the state's electric energy grid, by providing nonpolluting sources of electricity generation, and by the creation of jobs for local industries that develop and sell renewable energy products and technologies.
The legislature finds that Washington state has become a national and international leader in the technologies related to the solar electric markets. The state can support these industries by providing incentives for the purchase of locally made renewable energy products. Locally made renewable technologies benefit and protect the state's environment. The legislature also finds that the state's economy can be enhanced through the creation of incentives to develop additional renewable energy industries in the state.
The legislature intends to provide incentives for the greater use of locally created renewable energy technologies, support and retain existing local industries, and create new opportunities for renewable energy industries to develop in Washington state." [2005 c 300 § 1.]
http://app.leg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx?cite=82.16.110
Findings -- Intent -- 2005 c 300: "The legislature finds that the use of renewable energy resources generated from local sources such as solar and wind power benefit our state by reducing the load on the state's electric energy grid, by providing nonpolluting sources of electricity generation, and by the creation of jobs for local industries that develop and sell renewable energy products and technologies.
The legislature finds that Washington state has become a national and international leader in the technologies related to the solar electric markets. The state can support these industries by providing incentives for the purchase of locally made renewable energy products. Locally made renewable technologies benefit and protect the state's environment. The legislature also finds that the state's economy can be enhanced through the creation of incentives to develop additional renewable energy industries in the state.
The legislature intends to provide incentives for the greater use of locally created renewable energy technologies, support and retain existing local industries, and create new opportunities for renewable energy industries to develop in Washington state." [2005 c 300 § 1.]
http://app.leg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx?cite=82.16.110
As long as Coal ,oil & gas $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ pour into political campaigns at the rate they do, renewables will have a tough time. Money talks and its screaming "dont mess with my cash cow" . Tesla,s battery plant is a bold step into the future. Just might make Elon musk the Steve Jobs of transportation and energy storage.
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Hopefully it won't take Elon 25 years to come out on top, as it did with Steve.
Where2
Feeling the Heat
Anyone notice this the other day?
http://www.npr.org/2014/09/25/351437119/solar-advocates-fight-utilities-over-grid-access
The limitation on 110% of a homes previous year usage negates some ability to install a PV system intent on using the energy to power an EV, if you don't buy the EV first.
My POCO limits residential customers net metered systems to 10kW or less regardless of any previous consumption data. Mind you, a 10kW setup would put out about 15MWh/yr in my area...
http://www.npr.org/2014/09/25/351437119/solar-advocates-fight-utilities-over-grid-access
The limitation on 110% of a homes previous year usage negates some ability to install a PV system intent on using the energy to power an EV, if you don't buy the EV first.
My POCO limits residential customers net metered systems to 10kW or less regardless of any previous consumption data. Mind you, a 10kW setup would put out about 15MWh/yr in my area...
Yes it is. Thanks Geek, I seem to have a senior moment. Anyway, an interesting read, I think.
Looks like the Kochs lost one in South Dakota. Good to see common sense prevail.
http://rapidcityjournal.com/news/fo...cle_971d6e1d-d6b1-54d4-aab4-9b4bdb4da010.html
http://rapidcityjournal.com/news/fo...cle_971d6e1d-d6b1-54d4-aab4-9b4bdb4da010.html
THe end result of all this may be to drive some people completely off the grid atogether. I would be nice not to have to buy a load of deep cycle batteries, but it depends which choice is the lessor of two evils.
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A relevant follow up....looks like there was a fake petition in WI to make PV look bad.
http://grist.org/climate-energy/texas-lobbying-group-busted-for-phony-anti-solar-campaign/
http://grist.org/climate-energy/texas-lobbying-group-busted-for-phony-anti-solar-campaign/
sportbikerider78
Minister of Fire
The answer is to localize power generation to towns and cities. This is the way America use to create power. Small plants run locally.
The issue? I'm sure part of it was environmental regulation and the lobbying to get rid of them by environmentalists.
The issue? I'm sure part of it was environmental regulation and the lobbying to get rid of them by environmentalists.
Posted by Renew Wisconsin at (broken link removed)
Friday, November 14, 2014
Public Service Commission Approves We Energies' Rate Hikes & “Solar Tax”
RELEASED FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 2014
MADISON, WI – With a 2-1 vote voiced at an open meeting Friday afternoon, the Wisconsin Public Service Commission approved a 75% increase in monthly fixed charges and sweeping changes that will pile additional charges on customers who choose to install solar energy panels starting in 2015. The vote was split down partisan lines with Gov. Scott Walker appointees Chairperson Phil Montgomery and Commissioner Ellen Nowak supporting the changes; and Commissioner Eric Callisto, an appointee of Gov. Jim Doyle, opposed.
“Under this decision, customers who use more will see lower bills and customers who use less will see higher bills. It sends the wrong price signals on energy efficiency because it makes it harder for customers to control their monthly bills,” said Robert Kelter, senior attorney with the Environmental Law & Policy Center.
“The Public Service Commission has effectively approved a new tax to be collected from residential and small business customers that would like to create some of their own energy, such as with solar panels,” said Tyler Huebner, executive director of RENEW Wisconsin. “This decision is bad for job creation, bad for energy independence, bad for the environment, and bad for customers. Today our Republican-appointed Commissioners approved a new tax, killed jobs, and restricted energy choice in Wisconsin.”
“The commission has ignored the facts in this case and decided whether you embrace energy efficiency, or want to generate some of your own electricity with solar panels, you should pay more,” Kelter said.
“It also ignored a record level of over 1,900 public comments, 89% of which were opposed to these changes,” Huebner added.
The Public Service Commission decision will:
Green Bay-based utility to increase fixed costs from $10.40 per month to $19 per month for electricity, but their share is determined by the amount of electricity they use.
If customers don't use any electricity at all, they'll pay the full $19. If they use more than 600 kilowatt hours they won't see an increase, said WPS spokesman Kerry Spees.
The utility argues that customers who use alternative energy but stay connected to the grid are subsidized by customers who use more electricity and therefore pay more of the cost of keeping generation plants operating.
From Circus
For the record solar is far far less than 1%. Livestock isn't the only thing that smells in Wisconsin.
Friday, November 14, 2014
Public Service Commission Approves We Energies' Rate Hikes & “Solar Tax”
RELEASED FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 2014
MADISON, WI – With a 2-1 vote voiced at an open meeting Friday afternoon, the Wisconsin Public Service Commission approved a 75% increase in monthly fixed charges and sweeping changes that will pile additional charges on customers who choose to install solar energy panels starting in 2015. The vote was split down partisan lines with Gov. Scott Walker appointees Chairperson Phil Montgomery and Commissioner Ellen Nowak supporting the changes; and Commissioner Eric Callisto, an appointee of Gov. Jim Doyle, opposed.
“Under this decision, customers who use more will see lower bills and customers who use less will see higher bills. It sends the wrong price signals on energy efficiency because it makes it harder for customers to control their monthly bills,” said Robert Kelter, senior attorney with the Environmental Law & Policy Center.
“The Public Service Commission has effectively approved a new tax to be collected from residential and small business customers that would like to create some of their own energy, such as with solar panels,” said Tyler Huebner, executive director of RENEW Wisconsin. “This decision is bad for job creation, bad for energy independence, bad for the environment, and bad for customers. Today our Republican-appointed Commissioners approved a new tax, killed jobs, and restricted energy choice in Wisconsin.”
“The commission has ignored the facts in this case and decided whether you embrace energy efficiency, or want to generate some of your own electricity with solar panels, you should pay more,” Kelter said.
“It also ignored a record level of over 1,900 public comments, 89% of which were opposed to these changes,” Huebner added.
The Public Service Commission decision will:
- Increase monthly fixed fees from $9.13 to $16.00
- Impose a $3.79 monthly tax on every kilowatt of a solar installation (a 4 kilowatt system would pay $181.97 a year)
- Transfer about 40% of the value of solar installation from the homeowner to We Energies through changes in payments and charge
- Pay just 4.2 cents for every kilowatt-hour of energy generated by customer renewable energy systems
Green Bay-based utility to increase fixed costs from $10.40 per month to $19 per month for electricity, but their share is determined by the amount of electricity they use.
If customers don't use any electricity at all, they'll pay the full $19. If they use more than 600 kilowatt hours they won't see an increase, said WPS spokesman Kerry Spees.
The utility argues that customers who use alternative energy but stay connected to the grid are subsidized by customers who use more electricity and therefore pay more of the cost of keeping generation plants operating.
From Circus
For the record solar is far far less than 1%. Livestock isn't the only thing that smells in Wisconsin.
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Why?
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/27/opinion/sunday/the-koch-attack-on-solar-energy.html?_r=0
The Koch Attack on Solar Energy
APRIL 26, 2014
For the last few months, the Kochs and other big polluters have been spending heavily to fight incentives for renewable energy adopted by most states. They particularly dislike state laws that allow homeowners with solar panels to sell power they don’t need back to electric utilities. They’ve been pushing legislatures to impose a surtax making solar panels on houses less attractive.
American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), dictate bills to Republican state houses, receives financing from the utility industry and fossil-fuel producers. It's trying to repeal or freeze the renewable energy goals of states. States can now anticipate well-financed campaigns to eliminate these targets or scale them back.
Coal producers see the inevitable solar and wind energy as a long-term threat to their businesses.
Currently, 43 states require utilities to buy excess power generated by consumers with solar arrays. Net metering. The utilities hate this requirement, for obvious reasons. They says this kind of law will put "a squeeze on profitability," and warns that if state incentives are not rolled back, "it may be too late to repair the utility business model."
Since that’s an unsympathetic argument, the utilities have devised another: Solar expansion, they claim, will actually hurt consumers. This campaign is really about the profits of Koch Carbon and the utilities, which to its organizers is much more important than clean air and the consequences of climate change.
Husky
Feeling the Heat
The problem with that, is only the poor workers that have no control over what the company CEO's and boards do are the ones that get the shaft. The higher ups will get there money with golden parachutes in their contracts. Even as the company is going under the upper management will be taking big paychecks and bonuses to wind things down. Its your neighbors and friends that are trying to make a living that get screwed.
I use less than half that amount per month consistently over the last 8+ years and have been told by 4 different installers that home storage still isn't viable until you get to half of my usage. And this was just in the springtime. Have things changed since then or am I just getting a bad story?
I couldn't tell you. I imagine it's relative. Viable to one isn't the same as viable to another. Some choose to pay more each month so their electricity comes from only wind power. It seems silly to me, but is important to them.
My average usage last year was 289kwh/mo. This year it's 291/mo so far. 90 of that is my refrigerator.
My average usage last year was 289kwh/mo. This year it's 291/mo so far. 90 of that is my refrigerator.
Currently I am choosing to pay less for wind power, and it is important to me.
True. The mean cost to install an array on my house (not a large house) was 30k split three ways between the Feds, the State, and by me. With a monthly bill of under $100, unless I can store or sell back significant amounts, the costs just don't add up for me yet. Hopefully that will change in the future as technology progresses. I'd love to save every month and be insulated from any price spikes but the initial investment far exceeds the savings.
CaptSpiff
Minister of Fire
I'm also taking the slow road on this big investment, but feel like I've gotten the fire hose of learning over this past year. I sense that the govt rules, as well as the technology, are still too fluid for me to see the future clearly. I know what I want it to be, but you know what that's worth.
As for the Tech, I really like the way the Micro Inverter has made PV almost a DIY possibility. And the panel Watt/$ continue to get better.
The Govt rule changes are the big variable. Govt has broken the Utility's franchise (90yr business model) by allowing net metering. However the Govt isn't "letting em swing" because it's granting them almost unchallenged rate increases. The Govt also has been using the Utilities as surrogate tax collectors, so they are very aware that any bill reductions means State Tax Revenue short falls, and they can't have that. That makes me think that any bill savings I see from PV may well be replaced by a future tax or surcharge. This makes projecting ROI's over more that a few years nearly impossible.
One thing I've learned for sure is that the cost of the Grid (the transmission & distribution part of my bill) is not going down. I looked at the electricity load use profile for my region, and from Sept to May the peak usage comes between 7pm and 9pm, well after all PV production has fallen to zero. That means I'll still be dependent on some distant generator shipping the power over that spaghetti grid of wires. So the size and cost to maintain the grid will likely stay the same, and the Utility will need to collect the same dollars per year. Even if I make tons of PV in daytime, and my end of month KWH usage is quite low, the Utility/Govt will find a way to pull money out of me to pay for the shortfall. We are seeing that right now in the northeast as Utilities are asking for big increases in their flat monthly meter charges. I can see PV homeowner monthly connection surcharges in our future too.
So I am moving slowly with eyes wide open. I want our future to be cleaner & healthier air, water and earth. I want Solar and Wind and new smarter (smaller) Nuclear to power it, but I also know I'm going to pay more for it. So in the short term I'm practicing energy efficiency and learning as much as can.
As for the Tech, I really like the way the Micro Inverter has made PV almost a DIY possibility. And the panel Watt/$ continue to get better.
The Govt rule changes are the big variable. Govt has broken the Utility's franchise (90yr business model) by allowing net metering. However the Govt isn't "letting em swing" because it's granting them almost unchallenged rate increases. The Govt also has been using the Utilities as surrogate tax collectors, so they are very aware that any bill reductions means State Tax Revenue short falls, and they can't have that. That makes me think that any bill savings I see from PV may well be replaced by a future tax or surcharge. This makes projecting ROI's over more that a few years nearly impossible.
One thing I've learned for sure is that the cost of the Grid (the transmission & distribution part of my bill) is not going down. I looked at the electricity load use profile for my region, and from Sept to May the peak usage comes between 7pm and 9pm, well after all PV production has fallen to zero. That means I'll still be dependent on some distant generator shipping the power over that spaghetti grid of wires. So the size and cost to maintain the grid will likely stay the same, and the Utility will need to collect the same dollars per year. Even if I make tons of PV in daytime, and my end of month KWH usage is quite low, the Utility/Govt will find a way to pull money out of me to pay for the shortfall. We are seeing that right now in the northeast as Utilities are asking for big increases in their flat monthly meter charges. I can see PV homeowner monthly connection surcharges in our future too.
So I am moving slowly with eyes wide open. I want our future to be cleaner & healthier air, water and earth. I want Solar and Wind and new smarter (smaller) Nuclear to power it, but I also know I'm going to pay more for it. So in the short term I'm practicing energy efficiency and learning as much as can.
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