Massachusetts Solar — History & Policy
Solar energy in Massachusetts has grown from 10 megawatts in 2009 to more than 1,050 megawatts in 2016. The state enacted much legislation to usher in solar as a renewable energy source.
net metering
A Call For Commercial Net Metering
Originally published on CleanTechnica Debates have raged across the country around the value and/or need for net metering. Most conversation has focused exclusively on the residential perspective. However, Graham Smith, CEO of Open Energy, asks about the impact of the ever-changing net meeting policies on commercial solar? Net Metering Backgrounder According to the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA): “Net
Massachusetts Governor Unveils New Solar Incentive Program
UtilityDIVE reports Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker (R) has released a draft solar incentive program supporting the addition of 1.6 GW of solar power to the state. If enacted, this program will replace the state’s expiring solar incentive program, which uses solar renewable energy credits (SRECs) and is known as SREC-2, with a tariff program. The current SREC-2 program
NV Energy Proposes Grandfathering Nevada Rooftop Solar Customers
Nevada utility NV Energy filed a proposal this week to grandfather rooftop solar customers into Nevada’s original net metering rates for 20 years, writes the Las Vegas Review-Journal. “After a number of recent failed attempts to negotiate a resolution of this grandfathering issue with out-of-state private solar suppliers, it became clear that NV Energy needed to
Nevada PUC Chair Noble Speaks On Nevada Rooftop Solar Net Metering Ruling
David Noble, now the outgoing chairman of the Nevada Public Utilities Commission, in his address at the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners (NARUC) meeting, elaborated about the ongoing Nevada net metering battle, “…just as a caution for commissioners around this table about who you’re dealing with and what’s going on.” As reported by UtilityDIVE, Noble told
Ontario Now Accepting Micro-FiT Incentive Applications
Applications to the 2016 micro-FiT program in Ontario are now being accepted. As reported by pv-magazine, the Canadian province of Ontario would launch version 4.0 of its micro-FiT program, even though installation levels are significantly lower than those last year. Ontario’s electricity authority announced that it would re-open its feed-in tariff program for solar PV
Maine’s Net Metering Ball In PUC’s Court
Following the failure of a bill to replace retail rate net metering with a market-based incentive system, an updated net metering policy in Maine remains to be determined. UtilityDIVE provided this extremely accurate headline: “With Maine solar bill dead, industry waits on regulators for net metering reforms” Yes, indeed! Everyone involved in the industry appears to
Head Of Nevada PUC Sees ‘Bright Future’ For Rooftop Solar
After watching two rooftop solar installers pull up stakes in the state and being named in upcoming lawsuits, Paul Thomsen, head of the Nevada PUC, has defended the regulatory agency’s recent net metering decisions, stating he sees a solid future for clean energy growth. His involvement in debates like those which took place in Arizona and
US Senate Passes Long-Awaited Energy Bill
The US Senate has scrapped a retroactive net metering protection provision while passing a long-awaited energy bill as a bipartisan measure drafted to modernize the nation’s oil, gas and electricity systems and align them with more climate-friendly solutions. S.2012 – Energy Policy Modernization Act of 2016 As reported by PV-Tech, the US Senate bill was approved
Net Metering Equal Access Bill 2339 Passes California Committee
Regardless of location, California state customers are soon expected to have more net metering equal access for rooftop solar. Assembly bill 2339 has passed the State Assembly Utilities & Commerce Committee by a 10-2 vote and now awaits final ratification from the Assembly floor. Essentially, this measure aims to even out the net metering policies
Massachusetts Legislature Raises Net Metering Cap
House and Senate leaders in Massachusetts came to an agreement yesterday on raising the state’s net metering cap by 3%. A six-member House and Senate conference committee agreed on the bill’s final language late Tuesday, April 5. As reported by PV-Tech and New England Cable News, this bill — H.4173 — comes after five months of negotiation,
Forty-Six States Took Action Distributed Solar Policies Or Rates in 2015
The NC Clean Energy Technology Center, in a collaboration with Meister Consultants Group, reports all but four states took some form of solar policy action on policies or rates in 2015. As you might imagine, a number of policy considerations for solar involved net metering. Regarding the issue of solar electricity, the report has issued these
Gathering Of Solar Advocates Protests SDG&E Net Metering Challenge
According to the California Solar Energy Industries Association (CALSEIA), protests were heard from a passionate crowd of local clean energy advocates gathered last Wednesday at San Diego Gas & Electric’s Corporate Campus in Kearny Mesa. In its press announcement, CALSEIA stated the protest was organized in conjunction with two other organizations, the Sierra Club and
Modified Net Metering To Take Place In Mississippi
Originally published on CleanTechnica. Mississippi will become the 46th state to implement net metering for owners generating renewable electricity with solar panels or wind. However, the new policy comes with rate limitations that favor utilities. Briefly, net metering is the process by which individual utility customers who use solar panels or other renewable energy generators
Top 50 Solar Energy Stories Of 2013 (So Far): Part 3 (#21–30)
We’re trying to get more solar energy stories going here on Planetsave. To catch readers up, I’m doing a short series on the top 50 solar energy stories of 2013 so far. Learning from the Top 33 EV Stories article I recently published, I’m splitting this one into 5 posts. Otherwise, the page would take forever to load.
Cleantech Investments Reached New Heights in 2007
Venture capital investments in clean technology reached an impressive $5.18 billion last year in North America and Europe. North American-based companies received three times the investments of the European-based companies. Not surprisingly, energy generation was responsible for $2.75 billion in investments, with solar energy shining. “In 2007, solar emerged as a significant investment theme, and
