16.05.2012: US environmental advocacy organization Environment America reports that more than 100 elected officials from across California have endorsed Governor Jerry Brown’s “Clean Energy Jobs Plan,” which calls for 12,000 MW of solar capacity to be installed in the state by 2020. The organization notes that the price of solar energy in California has declined by 25 to 40 percent in the last five years, and it says the state’s solar industry now employs more than 25,000 people. Environment America says that in order to achieve the 12,000 MW goal, California policy makers must expand the state’s solar market and must ensure that the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) approves a proposed decision that will enable more California electricity consumers to participate in the state’s net-metering program. In April, the CPUC put forward a proposal to clarify the methodology used by utilities to calculate the amount of net-metered renewable energy on the grid. The utilities use this number to determine how much net-metering is still available to customers. The net-metering program – which enables customers to receive a credit on their bill for renewable energy generation that exceeds the amount of energy they consume – has a cap of “5 percent of aggregate customer peak demand;” however, California law does not specify how exactly utilities should calculate that number. Consequently, each utility is using its own methodology: these methodologies have ended up being more restrictive than was intended by the law, resulting in significantly less net-metered solar and renewable energy being allowed. According to Environment America, the CPUC is expected to decide on the proposal on May 24. … Source: California Public Utilities Commission; Summary: PHOTON http://www.cpuc.ca.gov http://www.environmentamerica.org/news/cae/over-100-california-leaders
-call-more-solar The complete press release can be viewed in PHOTON's archive using the following link:
http://www.photon-international.com/newsletter/document/65245.pdf |
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