“Solar Installs Continue in New Hampshire Despite Hitting Net Metering Cap” by Staff, published in Solar Novus. 

 

Net metering is the policy under which a grid-connected solar electric array is able to back-feed excess power to the utility company, who then credits the customer. Any time solar generation is not adequate to meet a customer’s electric demand, the customer uses electricity from the power grid, and is able to tap into solar credits to offset their bill on a per-kilowatt hour retail rate.

In response to New Hampshire’s largest utilities hitting solar net metering caps, local installer ReVision Energy has re-affirmed its commitment to the New Hampshire market. “Rapid advances in solar technology and the increasing cost of maintaining an outdated electric grid make it clear that solar will be a significant part of a 21st century grid,” said Dan Clapp, managing partner of ReVision Energy’s rapidly growing territory in New Hampshire,“Net metering is a foundational policy for a healthy solar industry,” Clapp noted, pointing to neighboring Vermont where utilities voluntarily asked for net metering caps to be raised after rapidly hitting outdated caps (set at 3% a decade ago). Those VT caps on solar penetration were recently lifted to 15% of total peak demand on the grid. New Hampshire’s cap on net metered solar (set at the turn of the century) is 1%, a number which highlights the potential growth in the sector once the arbitrary and outdated cap is lifted.

More at: http://www.solarnovus.com/solar-installs-continue-in-new-hampshire-despite-hitting-net-metering-cap_N9672.html#atop

Excerpt from “N.H.’s 2016 Economic Outlook; Solar Net Metering Update” by The Exchange, published in New Hampshire Public Radio.

Many analysts seem to be taking the stock markets recent swings in stride, saying the broader U.S. economy is on stronger footing. Still, there are concerns, especially China’s economic woes.

GUESTS:

Matt Slaughter – dean of Dartmouth College’s Tuck School of Business.
Russ Thibeault – president of Applied Economic Research, an economic and real estate consulting firm in Laconia, the report’s other co-author.
And then, an update on the solar industry’s battle over what’s called net metering.

Sam Evans-Brown – NHPR’s environment reporter
Dave Brooks – reporter for the Concord Monitor and blogger at Granite Geek

Listen to the program at: http://nhpr.org/post/nhs-2016-economic-outlook-solar-net-metering-update

“Net metering cap increase passes N.H. Senate committee” by David Brooks, published in the Concord Monitor.

A proposal to raise the limit on how much solar power can be sold to New Hampshire utilities got an initial okay on its trip through the Legislature on Wednesday when it passed the Senate Energy Committee.

The bill increases the limit from 50 megawatts to 75 megawatts for the total amount of distributed energy, mostly solar, that can be net metered, meaning solar panel owners are reimbursed when their system generates extra electricity.

The cap increase will be split 60-40 between small, home solar systems and larger commercial systems. The cap would remain in effect until the Public Utilities Commission figures out new rules for the system, which is expected to take about a year.

The 50 megawatt cap – roughly the amount of power needed for 10,000 homes – has been largely hit throughout the state, and solar installation firms say this is bringing a growing industry to a halt.

Representatives of firms argued at a committee hearing last week that the 25 megawatt increase is far too small, particularly for larger systems, and that the industry will again come to a halt long before any PUC rules are developed and approved.

The bill, SB333, will be taken up in a future Senate session.

http://www.concordmonitor.com/home/20637343-95/net-metering-cap-increase-passes-nh-senate-committee