Valdemar said:
freeewilly said:
$10 doesn't seem a lot, but it's 500% increase of my monthly electricity bill. Instead of paying $240 for next 10 years, I have to pay $1200.
Oh no, you'll pay much more, they will surely find ways to screw solar customers further over the next 10 years.
Here's what the real issue is as I see it: Future PV Subsidies
In California, the current Net Energy Metering scheme was approved by the CPUC many years ago to help subsidize and grow solar in the state, up to a specified cap for each utility. We are nearing those limits, probably mid next year (approximately).
The early group of solar PV adopters received state incentives, federal tax credits, full retail price for overgeneration, and free use of the grid as a battery. So other federal taxpayers and utility ratepayers have contributed to the solar PV systems that we have in the State, and it has been successful (lots of systems installed).
Now the State, the utilities, and interested parties are now working together to try and figure out what the next steps will be for "NEM 2.0". In general terms, the solar providers seem to want to have the "NEM 1.0" benefits continue, because that makes it easier to sell their systems and show higher cost benefits to potential customers. The utilities are claiming that it costs additional money to serve solar customers and since they aren't currently paying most of this cost, other ratepayers are subsidizing it...And, of course, solar PV systems are getting cheaper and have come down in price considerably from when NEM 1.0 was started...
It's all about subsidies and whether they should continue or be cut back a little bit....