Energy Lobbies Are Making It Harder to Use Solar Power

Utility companies are leading the effort to reduce the benefits of “net metering”—the practice by which homeowners or businesses earn financial credit for generating electricity with renewable energy technology such as solar panels.

Lucas Mearian reports at Computerworld:

For example, Hawaiian Electric Co. Inc. this year asked the state’s Public Utilities Commission to abolish its net metering policy because customers with photovoltaic panels aren’t paying their fair share of maintenance costs.

Indiana legislators are pushing bills to make it more costly for consumers there to go with solar by reducing tax credits awarded for it. Legislation, such as HB1320, introduced by Indiana state Rep. Eric Koch, a Republican, would compel fixed charges on customer bills and reduce tax credits. The bill comes as the solar industry is fighting to get on its feet in the Hoosier state.

Koch has said the bill’s purpose is “to promote and grow net metering.” Democratic state Rep. Matt Pierce said the bill “would effectively end net metering” by eliminating the incentive to deploy solar power.

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— Posted by Alexander Reed Kelly.