Major Solar Net Metering Changes

(Note: I am an affiliate of EnergySage, but they're a great resource for solar panel news and info in your area)

[SwiftNuts]

"We're paying you less because electricity is so abundant right now"
"We're charging you more because there's too much demand for electricity"
Scumbags

[parker]

Living in Missouri we've got 1 for 1 net metering, hopefully it stays that way!

[pohkeee]

This is going to be a tug of war with solar without storage, especially when the grid itself gets more solar. It’s ironic, but we don’t need more production during the day, without storage for when the sun doesn’t shine. It was always going to come down to a storage issue…peak load and distribution has always been a concern for the grid.

[keithwhite]

The energy stealing from house owners will get worse over time greedy companies can't help themselves, your better off disconnecting from the grid create your own energy, it would be the best policy for the future. Laws and rules apply to the public but not the organisations corporations or the industries .

[jsmythib]

Just build your own non grid tie system. Then forget about it.

[simon]

Do it yourself and save a lot of money, it’s never been easier!

[fanplant]

I had a neighbor with an oversized system bc he was anticipating having an electric car. Before he got his Nissan Leaf he would run a heater in his house bc the wholesale price the utility buys excess was so low he may as well help heat the house.

[johnnyrabenold]

It would be foolish to trust that any such rate agreement would stick for 20 years.

[robertgarn]

There is paradox in summer because the solar cells efficiency drop significantly as the heats up. Some solar systems use air or liquids circulation schemes to cool the solar cells. Kindly investigate this and comment in an upcoming report. Thanks, Bob

[The_dislike_guy]

Even here in michigan i decided it wasnt worth it to tie in, built a system to take my house off grid 10 months out of the year for about 15k

[Isheian]

Storage is a great idea. If you can, always get storage.

[investsmarternow]

Great information as always. Thank you!

[minerharry]

I see a lot of comments talking about saying to hell with it and going off grid. I really think that is a bad direction. The electricity grid is the largest, most complex, and arguably most important machine humanity has ever constructed, and its promise of good electricity to everywhere at low(ish) rates is bolstered by the fact that it connects everybody to everybody. Disconnecting from the grid, and honestly buyback incentives like net metering, is inherently inequitable - those with the means to support themselves on their own stop paying maintenance costs, leaving those who did not have the means to do so a worse and worse maintained grid. Personal solar should be used to bolster the grid’s reliability, not hurt it. Technology connections has a great video on his second channel talking all about this.

[ljprep]

If you're going solar, find out what size system would cover your entire usage for the year and buy that and 2-5 days of battery backup. Install it in an OFF GRID style and tell the utility they can't have it. You'll pay the minimum connect charge and have access to the grid if you need it, but you'll be producing your own power during their blackouts and brownouts. And your energy will be clean, without all the transient surges that come with grid power and industrial connections.

[tjmzm]

I think all users should have to pay for transmission and distribution—both when purchasing from and selling into the grid. Either set yourself to never sell or be off grid (if allowed) in order to avoid what is perceived as unfairness of common sense net metering structures

[Falkor]

The oil and coal companies doing what they do best: marginalizing renewable energy incentives to ensure their profits are justified.

[larryw.]

Please share this with all California's

[MarcoNierop]

In the Netherlands also the discussion to wind down the net metering incentive as it benefits the rich too much and the poor, who do not have the financial means to invest in solar panels, are effectively paying for it by paying their energy bills.

I have 100% net metering since 2014 and the installation paid back for itself in just 7 years. 2022 was a record year for me and delivered back into the grid way more than I used myself, ending up in getting paid 523 euro's this week!

But if net metering is wind down, I will invest in a home battery, right now it makes no sense, as I use the grid as my battery. I hope Tesla can deliver a Powerwall, and Tesla may be even roll out PVV's here, or start being an energy provider, like they have started in Texas last month.

But if the Dutch government decides to do this, it will start no earlier than 2026 or so, so we still have a few years, and like in California, I might keep 100% metering, so the new rules only apply for new solar panel installations.

[digitaldreamer]

I have four separate battery banks, two are 14v and two are 12v, with one being an inside bank of all 100lbs AGM batteries, which I’ve used in real life power outages here on Oahu.
In 2018, the prices for solar panels was as follows:
To connect to the grid,
$6.06 per watt for 400 watt 265v panels.
For off grid applications,
It was $1.28 a watt for 12v 100 watt panels.
To connect to the grid, requiring 24 panels, to connect your home off grid, only required 12 panels only.
A big difference in cost, price and labor. I only use commercial power for my electric stove and hall bathroom only as a back up system.
To me, connecting to the grid is a waste of time and money. When the grid goes down, you have no power either and you have the solar panels on your roof. Makes no good sense at all.

[paultarp]

Idaho is doing the same thing. They used to pay back every KW extra you made, and they've now cut it down to a price percentage. This is especially bad if you have no batteries. Even with a large system you will use up all extra power you made by buying back at night. Then during winter, you're stuck with full power bill. Everyone that installed solar one year before I did was immune from this