As a relatively new solar system owner, I want to be more involved in helping legislation pass to make solar more "Fair" in terms of true net metering in my state (Georgia).
I am starting with my local energy co-op, and have started the process of meeting with the board of directors over the co-op. I have little hope it will do much to change policy, but it's a start. I have a feeling most of them are not even aware of the solar policies and practices in place. If it helps bring a little awareness, it's worth my time.
I have also already contacted both my state legislators in both chambers, and my congressional representatives in both chambers about my concerns. Again, it's a start. I realize some staffer will probably respond to my first several emails, but I know the game and I'm persistent. I just want to educate them on real world information on how billion dollar companies are keeping clean energy, and energy independence out of reach for their constituents. It's not the cost of solar that is the barrier once you break it down, its the unfair policies of the power companies.
My current price structure:
$30 utility connection fee
$7.5 solar connection fee
$.05% Fuel surcharge, $7% local taxes, $7% state taxes (all based on my subtotal from fee's + kWh imported - kWh exported)
kWh import: $0.097 (This varies every month, I have to do the math and remove the fees to know the exact number each month.)
kWh export: $0.042 (This varies every month, I have to do the math and remove the fees to know the exact number each month.)
I imported 175 kWh of energy from the grid this month, and exported 956 kWh. Give or take I exported 5x the amount of energy I imported, yet I still had a power bill ($12) because the company gives me less than half the rate for selling them power as I get for importing power from them, on top of all the connection fee's.
I personally don't mind the connection fee's, if I had true $1 for $1, kW for kW net metering. I understand their argument for "Maintaining the grid" and overhead costs. I own a business, I get it. Having both in place makes solar impossible to be "worth it" or even a "cost saving" investment at this point. This energy policy is 100% preventing many people that I talk to from investing in solar. I know they are interested in solar, because I get questions about my system all the time, but these fee's and price structure make it almost impossible to justify the cost of solar once they do the basic math. I knew I was going to be paying more for my system than I was my power bill alone, and I was okay with that sacrifice, but many look at solar as a "cost savings", and that just doesn't add up in Georgia.
The power company sold the energy I produced from my solar system for $93 to my neighbors, yet I only received a $38 credit for it, which didn't even cover the hidden fee's, much less the 175 kW I had to import. I would even be okay with a reduced rate for export AFTER my bill is $0, but solar producers in Georgia are getting taken advantage of by these policies and there is no way to win. Not to mention, they limit the amount I am allowed to sell back at any given time to 10 kWh. Why limit how much I can sell export on panels I made the investment to purchase? (My inverter can only handle 9,000w anyways so that doesn't matter as much, but it's the principle of it)
If I had true $1 for $1 net metering, even after my large solar loan I would still be right at even with my old power bill most months, and that's without paying back the 23% on the loan and just pocketing that rebate money. As it stands now, my solar loan alone is more than my old power bill, and I still have a power bill (Again, I knew this when I made the decision and was willing to make that sacrifice). At least breaking even if I had net metering would be an incentive for many to invest in clean energy, or those like me who were more concerned about energy independence, to make the investment.
Has anyone else had any luck contacting their state legislators, power company board, or congressional representatives?
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Robert Edwards
b1edwards@bop.gov------------------------------