Risk to US web metering

Jun 16, 2020 03:19 PM ET
  • The Solar Energy Industries Association has advised the U.S. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to reject a petition to ditch internet metering, entirely on legal premises. A declaring by Solar United Neighbors, Vote Solar, and other groups makes a legal case as well as also rebuts the petition's insurance claims concerning net metering.
Risk to US web metering
Image: Wikimedia Commons

The Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) has actually submitted a protest with the U.S. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) relating to a request asking FERC to end web metering. The application was filed by a brand-new entity, the New England Ratepayers Association (NERA), whose members are unrevealed.

SEIA's filing says that "issuing the declarations requested by Petitioner would contrast the Administrative Procedures Act, an unwarranted separation from Commission precedent, irregular with Congressional intent, as well as an unjustified intrusion into a State's sovereign authority." SEIA concludes that FERC "must exercise its discernment to dismiss the Petition."

Solar United Neighbors, Vote Solar, as well as 16 other teams submitted a lawful case against the request to FERC that includes plan arguments for net metering.

SEIA makes 3 major disagreements to reject the request:

  • Petitioners look for to disrupt and overturn states' civil liberties over retail billing and also crediting programs.
  • UNITED STATE federal law does not preempt state net metering programs.
  • The authority to establish as well as administer web metering programs lies with specific states.

The other declaring, from 18 power as well as environmental groups, also contacted FERC to decline the application.

The declaring makes the plan case for internet metering by presenting evidence of distributed solar's duty in delaying grid financial investments. It keeps in mind that net-metered clients "typically minimize their own loads as well as system loads during the cost-causing peak hrs." It likewise mentions a national laboratory research revealing that web metering has tiny rate effects, and also could reduce retail rates.

SEIA's statement and also the declaring of the 18 public interest organizations are readily available in the FERC docket library, under docket number EL20-42-000.


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