Background:
The electric utilities in Arizona have been waging an anti solar war recently. First APS asked for a $50/mo tax added to rooftop solar customers electric bills. The Arizona Corporation Commission granted them $5. Now, about a week ago, SRP passed an onerous demand tax on top of the energy use fee. They are a quasi-government entity that does not need approval. It means that customers get charged for energy and power. The power part confuses a lot of people; it will add between $50 and $150/mo to the bill for most, but actually the sky is the limit. Both APS and SRP rates were grandfathered for existing solar customers. I am a SRP customer and my system is grandfathered for 20yrs from install, so another 15 1/2 yrs for me. This may have been meant to divide and conquer but many of us who are current solar homeowners are outraged and trying to fight back in order to keep rooftop solar growing in our state. This fight will be coming to where you live as well, if it hasn't already.
Purpose:
I am writing to get advice for the best ways to organize and rally the distributed solar power cause. I joined with a group of others and we are calling ourselves the "Arizona Sunshine Alliance". They have big plans, but few people and no money. We know we are going against big corporations, deep pockets, and dark money.
Current Status:
Our group wants to tackle these items first.
1. Change SRP's archaic 1903 charter, that only permits customers who own the original land to vote by acre, to one customer one vote.
2. Divest the electric part from the water part of SRP. Currently the electric subsidizes the water.
3. Promote our own candidates for the SRP board.
Questions:
1. Is the best way to form a non-profit? This is the current plan.
2. Any advice for fund raising?
3. Know any organizations that we might be able to contact and work with? We already know some.
4. Any words of wisdom?
Unless we act quickly and strongly we may be lamenting "Who Killed Rooftop Solar?".
The electric utilities in Arizona have been waging an anti solar war recently. First APS asked for a $50/mo tax added to rooftop solar customers electric bills. The Arizona Corporation Commission granted them $5. Now, about a week ago, SRP passed an onerous demand tax on top of the energy use fee. They are a quasi-government entity that does not need approval. It means that customers get charged for energy and power. The power part confuses a lot of people; it will add between $50 and $150/mo to the bill for most, but actually the sky is the limit. Both APS and SRP rates were grandfathered for existing solar customers. I am a SRP customer and my system is grandfathered for 20yrs from install, so another 15 1/2 yrs for me. This may have been meant to divide and conquer but many of us who are current solar homeowners are outraged and trying to fight back in order to keep rooftop solar growing in our state. This fight will be coming to where you live as well, if it hasn't already.
Purpose:
I am writing to get advice for the best ways to organize and rally the distributed solar power cause. I joined with a group of others and we are calling ourselves the "Arizona Sunshine Alliance". They have big plans, but few people and no money. We know we are going against big corporations, deep pockets, and dark money.
Current Status:
Our group wants to tackle these items first.
1. Change SRP's archaic 1903 charter, that only permits customers who own the original land to vote by acre, to one customer one vote.
2. Divest the electric part from the water part of SRP. Currently the electric subsidizes the water.
3. Promote our own candidates for the SRP board.
Questions:
1. Is the best way to form a non-profit? This is the current plan.
2. Any advice for fund raising?
3. Know any organizations that we might be able to contact and work with? We already know some.
4. Any words of wisdom?
Unless we act quickly and strongly we may be lamenting "Who Killed Rooftop Solar?".