We won! FERC dismisses petition, net metering stands
- Energy democracy & policy
Earlier this spring, we learned that a secretive utility front group was trying to take away local control of net metering.
We immediately sprang into action to protect our solar rights.
We partnered with Vote Solar and many others, including tens of thousands of solar supporters like you. And together, we won!
The shadowy front group, called New England Ratepayers Association (NERA), petitioned the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to end states’ power to administer net metering for solar energy.
Today, FERC commissioners unanimously dismissed the petition.
Solar owners who benefit from net metering will continue to be fairly compensated for the clean energy they produce!
What was at risk?
If NERA had gotten its way, net metering would have been on the chopping block. Utilities may have been able to compensate solar owners at a rate lower than what they deserve.
Net metering ensures solar owners receive fair compensation for the solar energy they produce and send to the grid. There are approximately 2.2 million residential net metering customers and 100,000 net metering businesses across the country.
And it’s not just solar owners who would’ve suffered. All grid participants were at risk of higher electricity bills if these programs disappeared. Without continued investment in local solar, the clean, equitable energy system we envision would be at risk.
What does this teach us?
We asked solar owners, workers, and supporters across the nation for help to protect our solar rights. More than 50,000 comments poured in, asking FERC commissioners and elected officials to oppose the petition. All 50 states and Washington, DC, were represented!
This victory for solar rights proves what we’ve known all along: that solar supporters like you have power when we join together!
Anti-solar interests tried to deny solar owners fair compensation for the solar they produce. But they had to go through us, and we won.
What’s next?
First, we’re taking a moment to celebrate this victory.
You should, too! Feel free to share our posts on Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn to spread the good news to your networks.
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