Corporations now trying to charge people for choosing solar energy

[rangerrebew]

Corporations now trying to charge people for choosing solar energy

08/10/2021 / By Divina Ramirez

Kansas holds just as much solar potential as Florida, also called the Sunshine State. Yet Kansas lags far behind, powering about 12,000 homes — less than two percent of the homes running on solar power in Florida. Local solar proponents point out that strong pushback from power companies in Kansas is to blame.

Evergy, the dominant electric utility in Kansas, has vastly expanded wind power in the state. However, it’s advocating for policies that involve collecting fees from customers with rooftop solar panels, possibly because these individuals no longer need to buy as much energy from the utility company as they previously did.

This situation isn’t unique to Kansas. Similar fights have played out in other states, such as Arizona, California and Massachusetts. It would appear that the emerging conflict between power companies and users with solar arrays stems from the former being threatened by the latter’s transition to clean energy.

https://www.climate.news/2021-08-10-corporations-charging-people-for-going-green.html

[Weird Tolkienish Figure]

Pretty outrageous. Might be on the green's side for this one.

[DefiantMassRINO]

Eversource charges us a monthly connectivity fee for having rooftop solar.  Still save money, but not as much.

[HoustonSam]

Corporations now trying to charge people for choosing solar energy

08/10/2021 / By Divina Ramirez

Kansas holds just as much solar potential as Florida, also called the Sunshine State. Yet Kansas lags far behind, powering about 12,000 homes — less than two percent of the homes running on solar power in Florida. Local solar proponents point out that strong pushback from power companies in Kansas is to blame.

Evergy, the dominant electric utility in Kansas, has vastly expanded wind power in the state. However, it’s advocating for policies that involve collecting fees from customers with rooftop solar panels, possibly because these individuals no longer need to buy as much energy from the utility company as they previously did.

This situation isn’t unique to Kansas. Similar fights have played out in other states, such as Arizona, California and Massachusetts. It would appear that the emerging conflict between power companies and users with solar arrays stems from the former being threatened by the latter’s transition to clean energy.

https://www.climate.news/2021-08-10-corporations-charging-people-for-going-green.html

Although the energy-only market structure failed spectacularly in TX during the Valentine's Week freeze earlier this year, the dynamics described here point out one of its advantages - producers get financial return only on what they actually sell, not on their installed capacity.  Just as with any other purchased commodity, producers take on themselves the risk of being replaced; they can't pass that risk on to their customers by collecting capacity-based fees when the customers choose an alternative.

[Weird Tolkienish Figure]

Eversource charges us a monthly connectivity fee for having rooftop solar.  Still save money, but not as much.

That should be illegal.

[Cyber Liberty]

That should be illegal.

There was a movement in the Arizona Legislature to stop the practice, but it failed.

We have the situation where a company like Arizona Public Service (APS is the power company that owns Palo Verde nuclear plant) offered big rebates to install the solar panels and then turning around and adding a surcharge to customers who were suckered in.  The tab for the rebates was picked up by the National Government, so it cost APS nothing.

The Arizona Corporation Commission signed off on the racket.  They're corrupt as Hell.