California’s Controversial Solar PV Net Metering Bill

Here’s a report from 2GreenEnergy’s local NPR affiliate, KCBX, on net metering, the process by which home-owners with rooftop solar PV sell their excess energy back to the utility, which then goes onto the grid, lowering its average carbon footprint.

At issue is a bill that would reduce the amount that the utility, in this case, Pacific Gas and Electric, pays homeowners per kWh.  The reasoning is that such deals are unfair to those who cannot install solar, for whatever reason: they don’t own their residence, they can’t afford it, they have trees in their south-facing yards, etc.  That’s because the monies paid back to PV owners cause others’ rates to rise.

While this is understandable, we need to realize things like these:

• These homeowners have contracts that would be broken if the bill passes and goes into effect.

• Eight billion of Earth’s inhabitants are losing the war we’re waging against climate, and discouraging solar makes a bad situation worse.

• There are 6.5 million Americans in the solar PV business, the lion’s share of which are in California, many of whom will lose their jobs.

Perhaps the new administration’s tax reform can come into play here.  Better yet, of course, is a tax on carbon, the best of which is the Carbon Fee and Dividend.