Solar power policy update May 3: Minneapolis, SC, MO, CT
In this week’s solar policy update, we bring you Minneapolis’ plan to go 100% renewable, a potential net metering cap increase in South Carolina, legislation to weaken regulatory oversight in Missouri, and more.
Bill to increase system sizes for net metering advances in New Hampshire
The bill to allow PV systems up to 5 MW in capacity to participate in net metering has been reported out of committee and will now go to a vote of the full House, it’s last stop before the desk of Governor Sununu.
Solar power policy roundup April 25
Our first solar power policy roundup looks at a bills to scrap net metering while raising the RPS in Connecticut, the establishment of performance-based ratemaking for utilities in Hawaii, and more.
Utilities weaken distributed solar power with policy wins
Utilities have been trying to dismantle net metering and/or wreck the economics of customer-sited solar for years. In the first quarter of 2018, they saw some significant victories.
Michigan dismantles net metering
Over the protests of many different parties, Michigan has become the latest state to experiment with destroying the fundamental policy for distributed solar in the United States.
Kentucky anti-solar legislation killed
The bill to allow utilities to impose fees and change compensation for customer-sited solar PV has been sidelined in the Kentucky Senate.
Utilities win in South Carolina solar vote
A bill to lift net metering caps in South Carolina fails, after a technicality was used to force the bill to secure a 2/3 majority.
Attempt to reverse LePage solar policy veto fails (again) in Maine
The second attempt to overturn the idiosyncratic governor’s veto of a solar policy fix has again failed by two votes.
Bill to lift South Carolina net metering cap approved in House
The bill will also require expedited interconnection by utilities, and must pass a third reading before it goes to the state’s senate.
Maine House fails to overturn LePage veto of solar policy fix
The Maine House fell two votes short of overturning Governor LePage’s veto of a bill that would have preserved key aspects of net metering in the state. However, the measure will be reconsidered on Monday.
