Utah’s Solar Showdown: Net Metering Under Fire
The Sunshine State’s Shadow
Let’s hear it for Utah and their solar energy market. For it is finally catching rays. However, it seems storm clouds are also gathering on the horizon. In early 2014, the state’s burgeoning solar industry faces a two-pronged attack. Essentially on its net metering policy. This battle most notably pits clean energy advocates against utility giants. Especially with the future of rooftop solar also hanging in the balance.
Rocky Mountain Power’s Power Play
Utah’s monopoly utility, Rocky Mountain Power (RMP), is most certainly flexing its muscles. They’re pushing for a $4.25 monthly fee on solar customers, claiming it’s about fairness. But solar advocates aren’t buying it. Sara Baldwin Auck of Utah Clean Energy calls it what it is: “a special tax on net metered solar customers.”
The Legislative Lightning Rod
Enter Senator Curt Bramble with SB208; it’s a bill that’s electrifying the debate. It’s also aimed at recouping “fixed costs” for the grid. But critics certainly argue it’s a solar buzz kill. For it’s threatening to also short-circuit the state’s clean energy future.
Utah Solar Energy: David vs. Utility Goliath
The solar industry isn’t taking this lying down. They’re also rallying the troops, from homebuilders to environmental groups. Rene Oehlerking of Garbett Homes warns, “It’s sending the wrong message to people who are thinking about having solar on their homes.”
Utah Solar Energy: The Numbers Game
Here’s the kicker: solar users make up less than 0.25% of RMP’s customer base. That’s right, all this fuss over a fraction of a percent. It’s like using a sledgehammer to swat a fly.
What’s Really at Stake?
This isn’t just about monthly bills. It’s about Utah’s energy future. Todd Stevens of RenewableTech Ventures puts it bluntly: “There is great interest in having renewable energy available to offset clean air issues.”
The Green Living Guy’s Take on Utah Solar Energy
Let’s cut to the chase. This battle isn’t new. It’s part of a national trend, with utilities feeling the heat from rooftop solar. But here’s the thing: solar is winning. In 2013, similar attacks in California, Arizona, Louisiana, and Idaho all fizzled out.
Utah’s fight is more than just local. It’s the opening salvo in a new front, with the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) joining the fray. Their anti-net metering template is getting its first test run, and so far, it’s falling flat.
The Bottom Line
In conclusion, Utah’s at a crossroads. Will it embrace the solar revolution or stick with the status quo? As Lincoln Hobbs, a solar-powered attorney, puts it: “I think you need to encourage customers to be willing to invest in solar in order to ultimately reduce our reliance on fossil fuel.”
Finally, the sun’s setting on this debate. However, the outcome will shape Utah’s energy landscape for years to come. Stay tuned, solar warriors. This fight’s far from over.
1 https://ases.org/utah-rising-storm-for-net-metering/
2https://www.deseret.com/2014/2/24/20536094/critics-wants-lights-out-on-net-metering-bill/
3 https://cleantechnica.com/2014/03/19/solar-industry-defeats-alec-net-metering-attacks-utah-washington/
Image Source: The solar array at Natural Bridges National Monument, 2006, http://www.nps.gov/nabr/planyourvisit/solarpower.htm, NPS photo by Tom Gray
