California proposes “blatant seizure of property” in solar ruling

[Will Prowse]

"The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) is soon to vote on a proposed decision that is expected to be harmful to the value of rooftop solar for renters in multifamily housing, farms, and schools.

The decision would disallow residents of multi-meter properties to consume their own rooftop solar production, even if they own the solar array. The policy forces customers to first sell their solar production to the utility, and then buy it back at higher rates.

“The CPUC is proposing a blatant seizure of property,” said the Solar Rights Alliance.

California’s existing Virtual Net Metering and Net Energy Metering Aggregation programs allow properties with multiple meters to install a single solar array for the entire property, sharing one system’s electricity and associated net metering credits with all customers and meters on the property. The proposed decision states that these customers should be limited in how much of their own solar production they can use, even if it is stored in their own battery.

“It would force customers in multi-meter properties—such as renters, small farmers, schools, and colleges—to sell all of their generation to the utility at low rates and buy it back at full retail rates,” said the California Solar and Storage Association (CALSSA)."

Full article:

California proposes “blatant seizure of property” in solar ruling

The California Public Utilities Commission is set to vote on a virtual net energy metering program that would force renters to sell solar generation to the utility and buy it back at a higher rate, outlawing them from consuming their electricity directly.

pv-magazine-usa.com

I'm pretty sure this will spread to single family homes next.

I have a hunch that our governments will create regulations against off-grid systems in due time. It would be very easy to use a satellite to tell law enforcement where the non regulated solar arrays are mounted.

 

[chrisski]

Mandate new construction has solar and then confiscate it?

Something like that worked for Cuba.

 

[n2aws]

"The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) is soon to vote on a proposed decision that is expected to be harmful to the value of rooftop solar for renters in multifamily housing, farms, and schools.

The decision would disallow residents of multi-meter properties to consume their own rooftop solar production, even if they own the solar array. The policy forces customers to first sell their solar production to the utility, and then buy it back at higher rates.

“The CPUC is proposing a blatant seizure of property,” said the Solar Rights Alliance.

California’s existing Virtual Net Metering and Net Energy Metering Aggregation programs allow properties with multiple meters to install a single solar array for the entire property, sharing one system’s electricity and associated net metering credits with all customers and meters on the property. The proposed decision states that these customers should be limited in how much of their own solar production they can use, even if it is stored in their own battery.

“It would force customers in multi-meter properties—such as renters, small farmers, schools, and colleges—to sell all of their generation to the utility at low rates and buy it back at full retail rates,” said the California Solar and Storage Association (CALSSA)."

Full article:

California proposes “blatant seizure of property” in solar ruling

The California Public Utilities Commission is set to vote on a virtual net energy metering program that would force renters to sell solar generation to the utility and buy it back at a higher rate, outlawing them from consuming their electricity directly.

pv-magazine-usa.com

I'm pretty sure this will spread to single family homes next.

I have a hunch that our governments will create regulations against off-grid systems in due time. It would be very easy to use a satellite to tell law enforcement where the non regulated solar arrays are mounted.

Every time I hear about some new rule/law/compliance/proposal thing in California, I become more and more grateful that I don't live there.

 

[glandpuck]

Guys, relax. The solution is very simple. First, forget about NEM in CA. There is reliable sunshine for self consumption. PV systems for both roof top and ground mount are not required by law to be connected to the grid. Build out your own off grid system with a liquid cooled generator running NG, propane or diesel. Put the utility bill in the name of a child or low income person. Then just turn off your mains and don't pay any bills. The utility will not go to court to collect. Instead they will lobby to have their bills paid by other sources or simply disconnect you from the grid and problem solved.
As for low income renters and multifamily units, please search my other posts. None of this is new. For several years the utilities have acted in the role of do-gooder's insisting that high rates are a side effect of the grid and not their fault. And they argue they are not required to provide electricity at a loss to poor persons, Native Americans, the disabled, the elderly on fixed incomes or persons here seeking asylum or illegally in the state as well as the homeless and unemployed. Instead, backed by many activist groups, they have convinced the legislature and CPUC that ratepayers, and rate payers alone should bear all of the costs. And more importantly, they have argued successfully that those landlords, homeowners and businesses with PV systems are by definition "wealthy" and not paying their fair share of the burden of the grid. The target was squarely placed on the victims without the victims even knowing they were being hunted.

So the arguments have already been lost at the legislative level in the state and the best course of action now is to go off grid as much as possible.

 

[glandpuck]

Every time I hear about some new rule/law/compliance/proposal thing in California, I become more and more grateful that I don't live there.

Unfortunately, just like Covid, these rules formulated, tested and passed will spread to all states with utility operators as they lobby the state legislature. Just wait, your turn is coming.

 

[Drod492]

"The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) is soon to vote on a proposed decision that is expected to be harmful to the value of rooftop solar for renters in multifamily housing, farms, and schools.

The decision would disallow residents of multi-meter properties to consume their own rooftop solar production, even if they own the solar array. The policy forces customers to first sell their solar production to the utility, and then buy it back at higher rates.

“The CPUC is proposing a blatant seizure of property,” said the Solar Rights Alliance.

California’s existing Virtual Net Metering and Net Energy Metering Aggregation programs allow properties with multiple meters to install a single solar array for the entire property, sharing one system’s electricity and associated net metering credits with all customers and meters on the property. The proposed decision states that these customers should be limited in how much of their own solar production they can use, even if it is stored in their own battery.

“It would force customers in multi-meter properties—such as renters, small farmers, schools, and colleges—to sell all of their generation to the utility at low rates and buy it back at full retail rates,” said the California Solar and Storage Association (CALSSA)."

Full article:

California proposes “blatant seizure of property” in solar ruling

The California Public Utilities Commission is set to vote on a virtual net energy metering program that would force renters to sell solar generation to the utility and buy it back at a higher rate, outlawing them from consuming their electricity directly.

pv-magazine-usa.com

I'm pretty sure this will spread to single family homes next.

I have a hunch that our governments will create regulations against off-grid systems in due time. It would be very easy to use a satellite to tell law enforcement where the non regulated solar arrays are mounted.

Move to a free State within the Republic (FL, GA, AL, TX, AR...). The left coast has literally lost it's collective minds (CA, WA, HI, OR)!! Thanks for the update Will.

 

[740GLE]

Every time I hear about some new rule/law/compliance/proposal thing in California, I become more and more grateful that I don't live there.

And yet what happens there, happens in other states a matter of time.

 

[n2aws]

Put the utility bill in the name of a child or low income person. Then just turn off your mains and don't pay any bills. The utility will not go to court to collect. Instead they will lobby to have their bills paid by other sources or simply disconnect you from the grid and problem solved.

@hwy17 remember that other thread about "income based" anything? Here is one of the many reasons I'm against it. The blatant abuse of those programs does more harm than good.

 

[hwy17]

It's buy all sell all metering, as some utilities in the US already do require for SFH.

PV Magazine does not help their credibility by using this inflammatory editorialized headlines.

Doubtful this would come to SFH in California, given the significant electrical work that would be required to double meter. They will use the IGFC to balance the cost shift instead. If worst comes to worst, they would go back to an installed capacity charge before implementing double metering.

 

[Q-Dog]

I would just disconnect from the grid ... problem solved.

 

[hwy17]

remember that other thread about "income based" anything? Here is one of the many reasons I'm against it. The blatant abuse of those programs does more harm than good.

They can just set the top charge as standard, and offer discounts for income qualified applicants below that. The FTB can confirm whether all filers at the address are being reported on the income qualification.

 

[n2aws]

They can just set the top charge as standard, and offer discounts for income qualified applicants below that. The FTB can confirm whether all filers at the address are being reported on the income qualification.

OR.. they could just have a base price for electricity based on the amount of consumption. And everyone pays the same rate? You know, something that is actually fair to all and difficult to take advantage of? X kwh times Y rate = your bill, where Y is the same for everyone.

 

[hwy17]

Readers should also note that across all of the big three California utilities there is only a single VNEM building with battery storage. So any postulation about "ohh it's their own power in their own battery" is nearly moot.

 

[Crowz]

I guess I'll need to add a new rule to my sig.

Something like : "Thank god I don't live in California since I love solar"

 

[hwy17]

OR.. they could just have a base price for electricity based on the amount of consumption. And everyone pays the same rate? You know, something that is actually fair to all and difficult to take advantage of? X kwh times Y rate = your bill, where Y is the same for everyone.

Volumetric consumption doesn't adequately represent the costs of running a utility. Look at your water bill and I assume you will find a significant base charge comprising 25% more of your monthly charge. This is more accurately reflective of reality. Fixed costs are best represented by fixed fees.

Should it be a flat rate fixed fee? Maybe. Ideally I'd like to see a demand charge system like how industrial works, where you get charged a sliding fixed cost based on your peak load amps. Your peak is really what your utility has to build and standby for. Politically though, it's hard to make it work because of the new losers: Old ladies and churches. That's how we end up at income graduated.

Avoiding the ‘tax on God’ dilemma when transitioning to dynamic rates

Dynamic rate design is one of the most important tools for decarbonizing the grid. But it is imperative to figure out how to make these types of choices more accessible and better for customers to achieve targets.

www.utilitydive.com

 

[Crowz]

Rule # 38

 

[Will Prowse]

Unfortunately, just like Covid, these rules formulated, tested and passed will spread to all states with utility operators as they lobby the state legislature. Just wait, your turn is coming.

That is exactly what is occuring.

 

[Will Prowse]

Mark my words, offgrid solar will be illegal one day. I'm currently thinking of ways to hide off-grid arrays from view of satellites. I am thinking vertical orientation bifacials might be best in the future.

And yes, NEM 3.0 is coming to every state.

 

[Crowz]

There's a federal case going on in Alabama right now that might help on some of this if things go well.

Of course if it doesn't well it could make things worse....

It's found in google under alabama solar tax lawsuit.

 

[Crowz]

Mark my words, offgrid solar will be illegal one day. I'm currently thinking of ways to hide off-grid arrays from view of satellites. I am thinking vertical orientation bifacials might be best in the future.

And yes, NEM 3.0 is coming to every state. Consider Utah constituents and values, and they are switching soon if not already.

White gravel and that would work great it would just take more panels than normal but otherwise would be an option.