Dive Summary:
- The Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) has issued a document called "Net Energy Metering Guiding Principles" (see below) as its official stance in the battle with utilities over distributed solar generation.
- SEIA VP Carrie Cullen Hitt told Greentech Media that differences of opinion over how to conduct a cost-benefit analysis for rooftop solar is causing controversy. "[I]f a utility is going to set a cost, it must do a transparent analysis that includes [the] benefits [of distributed solar to the grid],” she said.
- “[Utilities] seem to be saying, ‘We have to stop this now before it gets more traction.’ But the utilities long-term thinking seems a little shortsighted, considering what their customers want,” Hill said. “These [principles] can help [utilities] think through how to succeed as transmission and distribution companies and, in some instances, owners of generation. They can share the system with others.”
From the article:
More than two-thirds of the SEIA board, including representatives from small installers, big developers, manufacturers, finance, and other facets of the industry, voted to approve.
Off-the-record reports to GTM said the small number of dissenters on the board were concerned with what factors would go into the cost and benefit calculations.
A number of studies have attempted to define those factors, Hitt acknowledged. “The studies have typically been the start of the real conversation.”
