California regulators approve net metering 2.0

The California Public Utilities Commission has narrowly ruled in favor of a successor program to net metering in the state, which looks generally similar to the original program.

ByChristian Roselund, PV Magazine

A long and contentious process over the future of net metering came to a close this morning in San Francisco, with the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) voting 3-2 in favor of a Proposed Decision for a successor program to net metering which was produced the previous afternoon.

The decision preserves many of the basic features of retail-rate net metering, and rejects utility attempts to change the program in ways that would significantly weaken the economics of customer-sited solar. The new program will begin in July 2017 or as soon as net metering caps are reached in the service areas of the state’s three large investor-owned utilities. 

California Solar Energy Industries Association (CalSEIA) estimates that net metering caps will be reached in San Diego Gas & Electric Company's (SDG&E) service area in April and in Pacific Gas & Electric Company's (PG&E) service area in August.

Utility customers who own PV systems at their homes or businesses will receive retail-rate credits for the electricity they generate, minus “non-bypassable” charges of around US$0.02 per kilowatt-hour, which CalSEIA says is a workable solution. These non-bypassable charges will also be applied to virtual net metering systems.

PV system owners will also move to mandatory time-of-use rates in 2018, except San Diego customers, who will have a five-year period to transition from tiered rates. This will not affect businesses and farms which participate in net metering, as such customers are already on mandatory time-of-use rates. Finally, the commission imposed a $150 application fee for new customers in the program.

“It’s hard not to feel good right now in California,” CalSEIA Executive Director Bernadette Del Chiaro told pv magazine. “It was a 3-2 vote and a real nail-biter, but at the end of the day California just protected net metering and that’s huge.” ...

Source: www.pv-magazine.com/news/details/beitrag/breaking--california-regulators-approve-net-metering-20_100022989/#axzz3ygOq3yX2

California Extends Payments for Rooftop Solar Customers

By Carolyn Whetzel, Bloomberg News

Rooftop solar customers of California's three investor-owned utilities will continue to get paid full retail rates for the excess energy their systems generate, under a net metering program the California Public Utilities Commission approved Jan. 28.

In a 3-2 vote, the California Public Utilities Commission updated the existing net energy metering structure. The decision preserved a provision requiring Pacific Gas & Electric Co., Southern California Edison and San Diego Gas & Electric Co. to pay rooftop solar customers the full retail rate for electricity they add to the grid.

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The California Solar Industries Association said the decision maintains the full retail credit for net metering for 20 years. The updated program also expands access to solar for renters and retains access for farmers, the group said.

“We all know that California is a world leader when it comes to being ‘green,' ” CALSEIA Executive Director Bernardette Del Chiaro said in a written statement. “But today's vote is more than that. It is about California continuing to champion innovation and a different way of doing things, in this case, building a smarter energy grid and allowing individual consumers to generate their own clean energy.”

The new net metering program is effective once existing solar customers meet current participation caps, or July 1, 2017, whichever occurs first, the commission said.

Source: www.bna.com/california-extends-payments-n57982066706/

Utilities lobby for changes to rooftop solar decision

Major utilities are once again urging state officials to make it more expensive for homes and businesses to go solar, in a last-minute effort to undermine a plan that supporters say is critical to the rooftop solar industry's future.

For months, Southern California Edison and other utilities lobbied the California Public Utilities Commission to slash the rates at which solar customers are paid for the electricity they generate, and to approve new monthly charges. Commission President Michael Picker rejected those ideas last month, proposing to leave the state's net metering program for rooftop solar customers mostly in place...

Sonoma Academy Makes the Switch to Solar

Sonoma County School Goes Green, Saves Money

Santa Rosa, CA (January 2016) - Sonoma Academy has switched-on a 208 kW solar power project on the north edge of its campus.  The electricity produced from this system is projected to save over $1,280,000 for the academy over the next 25 years allowing that money to flow directly back into education.

Sonoma Academy’s solar power system is not only about utility bills savings, but an example of the Academy’s intent to create a better, more sustainable future for its students. It will generate enough electricity to power about 50 average homes and will avoid production of 6,266 lbs. of carbon dioxide emissions per year, which is the equivalent of removing nearly 5 million miles of driving over the next 25 years.  That’s also comparable to the air pollution removed by 107 acres of trees.

A Local Team:  The solar project was developed by SolEd Benefit Corp of San Rafael and investor MacDonald Eco Developments LLC of Sebastopol, and installed by SolarCraft of Novato.

Sonoma Academy did not have to buy the solar equipment, or take on any debt.  It instead signed a 25-year Solar Power Purchase Agreement with SolEd Solar Holdings III, LLC to simply buy the clean energy produced and metered by the solar array.  Under present Net Energy Metering rules (confirmed by the CA Public Utility Commission this month) the School’s meter will be credited at established retail values of energy during the bright summer months and on weekends while it uses little energy, and pays a modest cost (eventually declining) for energy delivered.

The solar modules are all-black mono-crystalline silicon PV 275-Watt panels manufactured in the U.S. by Suniva, Inc out of Norcross, GA, with a 25-year warranty.  The inverters are HiQ Solar 8kW TrueStringTM smart inverters, made in California by HiQ Solar, Inc. of Santa Clara, CA. The hillside installation and racking on earth screws was accomplished by RBI Solar of Ohio.  Overall system engineering, permitting, procurement and turnkey construction was managed by SolarCraft of Novato.

SolEd Benefit Corp was formed with the mission to lower the cost of clean energy for schools and public benefit clients.  They are using a Solar Power Purchase Agreement document used by SolEd with a four-school District in Petaluma, and several other agencies in the Northbay.

Key terms of the Solar Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) include:

·       No upfront capital cost to Sonoma Academy

·       No obligation for the School to operate and maintain the solar facility

·       No fixed payments or debt obligations for the School

·       No need to reserve for capital replacement or repairs – SolEd does that

·       The PPA is simply an agreement to pay for the clean energy delivered to the meter.

The rising cost of energy has profoundly affected our local nonprofits and schools, who have to adapt to working on tighter and tighter budgets without compromising the quality of their important work.   

“We have wanted to go solar from the founding of the Academy,” says Derice Hogel, the business manager, “but we needed to preserve capital for growth of the school.  This approach was the winning formula—and it looks as though we will have nice operating savings as well. SolEd’s Solar PPA is fair, and beneficial for our program.”

SolarCraft is one of the most trusted and experienced solar energy contractors in California.  Since 1984, this certified Green Business has been providing high quality solar electrical, solar pool heating and solar water heating services to homeowners and businesses, employing licensed and certified solar installers.  With more than 6,000 satisfied customers and over 3 million square feet of solar collectors installed, SolarCraft is committed to Quality Design, Quality Materials and Customer Service. www.solarcraft.com

About Sonoma Academy
Sonoma Academy is the only independent, college preparatory high school in Sonoma County.  On its beautiful 34-acre campus nestled at the base of picturesque Taylor Mountain in South Santa Rosa, Sonoma Academy students are able to explore their interests and passions in a challenging environment that prepares them for college and life beyond.  The Academy has undertaken a program of environmental excellence, aiming for a zero net-energy standard for its new facilities.  For more information, contact Derice Hogel, Director of Finance & Operations, at 707-636-2462.

The completed solar system at Sonoma Academy.

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