Getting a little close to home....

[Jeepman401]

http://www.utilitydive.com/news/iow...highest-fixed-solar-charges-in-nation/402881/

• Iowa’s Pella Cooperative Electric informed its 12 members who own distributed generation (DG) that their facilities fee, the fixed charge all of the co-op member-customers’ monthly bills, will triple from $27.50 per month to $85 per month beginning in 2020.
• Electricity suppliers across the U.S. have been increasingly imposing higher fixed charges on owners of DG to cover revenue losses incurred from diminished electricity sales. The Pella increase is thought to be one of the biggest yet imposed nationwide. Wisconsin’s Rock Energy Cooperative just added a $22.60 per kW fixed charge on DG owners, which would be approximately $90 a month for a typical rooftop array.
• Pella DG owners are seeking legal representation and say the charge violates Iowa Code 476.21, which prohibits “discriminatory rates or charges for any service or commodity” imposed on customers who use renewables.

Wanting to add $85 monthly charge to just 12 solar installations. Talk about BS! Storage isn't coming fast enough! I can see people cutting the cords with policies like this.

 

[peakbagger]

Luckily my state has locked in the fixed rate for early adopters with the utilities, so I am covered, but at least one of the utilities hit their early adopter percentage (1% of base load I think), the deal for new solar is less attractive. Unfortunately the legislature raided the cookie jar for state incentives so anyone who hasn't installed solar loses out on the state rebate but still gets the fed rebate until the end of next year. Unfortunately in a northern state the solar payback is extended without net metering.

Of course what some folks do is set up system that doesn't export with batteries, the controls allow enough generation to keep the meter from spinning during the day and drain the batteries at night so they don't buy power unless the batteries are low. Unfortunately a battery based system typically has long term operating cost of around 50 cents a KW so barring special circumstances it kills solar which is what the utility wants.

 

[begreen]

This has been an ongoing battle, strongest in coal-fired states. Solar and renewables however are getting backing from some surprising sources.
http://www.newrepublic.com/article/115582/solar-power-fight-raging-gop

 

[blades]

Utilities ramping up for carbon tax - like the health care up charges ahead of the current mess.

 

[EatenByLimestone]

Instead of grid tying their panels, I'd put 2 electrical systems in the home facilitated by 2 main panels side by side.

One powered by solar and batteries. It could take the lights. And be pretty small.

Leave the other attached to the grid and. It could take large appliances like refrigerators, air conditioning, water heating, etc.

Slowly switch circuits over as system capacity is expanded to cover everything.

 

[Jeepman401]

Instead of grid tying their panels, I'd put 2 electrical systems in the home facilitated by 2 main panels side by side.

One powered by solar and batteries. It could take the lights. And be pretty small.

Leave the other attached to the grid and. It could take large appliances like refrigerators, air conditioning, water heating, etc.

Slowly switch circuits over as system capacity is expanded to cover everything.

I thought of doing that with my garage. But my solar systems inverter feeds the house main house panel already. So rewiring needed. Just hoping grid free is included with first roll-out of the StorEdge solution.

 

[peakbagger]

I seriously doubt that Sun Edison will market their battery solution for Grid Free. There is potential revenue both upfront and ongoing in having the battery bank connected to the grid. If the grid is down, they may let you run off grid, but I expect they will be combining the available capacity in all the battery banks they have installed as "capacity" on the power grid. Capacity is the capability to supply power quickly to the grid, not all power plants can turn off or on quickly so when there sudden change in power demand or supply, the value of being able to supply power into the grid in a very short period is quite valuable. In most areas, the utilities will pay the owner of the capacity a yearly fee just in case its needed. This is a revenue stream that Sun Edison can use to buy down the cost of the system or put in their pocket.

 

[EatenByLimestone]

I understand the concept of Sun Edison buying energy from your battery, but how useful to them is your residential sized battery system.

It seems a bit like Warren Buffett taking out many $10 micro lending loans to fund an acquisition.

 

[Babaganoosh]

The return rate of solar would be forever if they slapped me with an 85 dollar charge a month. Spring and fall my bills are occasionally less than that charge.

I'd love to get some panels but I'm sure it will bea headache here in NJ. NJ makes everything complicated and expensive.

 

[begreen]

That long return is exactly what the Kochs would like to see happen. They've been funding an anti-renewables campaign for several years now mostly concentrated in conservative states like Florida - the sunshine state.
http://www.latimes.com/nation/la-na-solar-kochs-20140420-story.html#page=1

 

[Babaganoosh]

A 100$ fee per month for homeowners to have net metering will kill solar. That's for certain.

On the other hand I don't agree with forcing companies to get 20% from renewable resources is right either. When the technology is good enough and makes financial sense they will do it on their own. If it's cost prohibitive then they probably end up with subsidies and tax breaks to pay for it. Not cool either.