Rooftop solar war intensifies as regulators pull reform proposal

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

Regulators want to destroy rooftop solar to protect the obscene profits of utility companies, one side charges.

The other side claims rooftop solar owners are circling the wagons to protect their own profits — the over-market amount they’re paid for exporting power to their neighbors — and to avoid paying their fair share to maintain the electric grid.

The California Public Utilities Commission, which regulates electric rates, has been working for years on a major revamp of how rooftop solar works in the Golden State. Its proposal to make the system more fair for all was released last month and slated for final approval on Jan. 27. But after thousands of blistering comments poured in from rooftop solar owners and the governor cast a stink eye at the proposal, it’s officially off the PUC’s Thursday agenda.

It’s not clear when it will be back, or in what form.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/markets/rooftop-solar-war-intensifies-as-regulators-pull-reform-proposal/ar-AAT3EjP

[roody]

1. A corporate article.

I'm not rich. I have a solar array because it is a priority to me. The poor and the not-poor are all subsidizing the stockholders and CEOs of non-public utilities.

[hunter]

2. I think part of the problem is our our ridiculous 100 and 200 amp standard services.

In much of Europe people pay a fixed fee based on the capacity of their service, and an additional rate for every kilowatt hour used.

If you need a larger service, say to support your electric car and huge solar array, you pay a larger monthly capacity fee.

In France the typical annual service fee is 140 Euros for a 40 amp service and 0.16 Euros per kilowatt hour.

Italy has a similar rate structure, but power is produced by natural gas and renewables, not nuclear as in France, so people pay .27 Euros per kilowatt hour.

The typical home service in Italy is only 13 amps, plus 10% for ten minutes. That's about 3,000 watts. If you draw more power than that your breaker trips and you have to wait for it to reset. People quickly learn to use only one major appliance at a time. If you don't pay your kilowatt-hour bill the electric company cuts your service to 0.5 amps, which is enough for lighting and cell phone charging. This is by means of a "smart" main breaker.

Historically Italian consumers paid a fixed fee for 110 volt incandescent lighting, and a per kilowatt hour rate for 220 volt service. Many households simply paid for the half amp 110 volt lighting circuit and stole electricity for other uses by means of illegal light-bulb to outlet converters. The modern Italian rate structure evolved from that chaotic system.

How does this relate to California? I think if people were allowed to pay a progressive service rate and per kilowatt hour rate based on the size of their main breaker the system would be fair to low income families and/or people who live in apartments.

People could choose to have a 20 amp service which would included a certain number of kilowatt hours. Additional kilowatt hours for a 20 amp service would be billed at the lowest rate.

People who have a huge expanse of solar panels on the roof of their McMansions, who want to use the grid as a "battery" would pay more than ten times the 20 amp service rate for their 200 amp service, and they'd pay a higher per kilowatt hour rate as well. They'd be reimbursed for excess solar electricity they push onto the grid at the rate 20 amp service consumers pay. This rate structure would not impact people who have peak solar capacity of less than about 5,000 watts.

I'm an unapologetic socialist. Those who benefit most from the rules, regulations, and customs of our society should pay their fair share for the privileges they enjoy without causing those who are merely getting by to suffer.