Support increase in the net metering cap

[Jim Elkind]

On Tuesday, February 21 at ~8:30P in the Town Hall Meeting Room, the Board of Selectmen will decide whether to support legislation on Beacon Hill that would raise the net metering cap to meet anticipated demand.
 
Without passage of this legislation, it is possible that some Solarize systems might not be able to use net metering. By allowing an electric meter to run backwards, net metering provides up to 15% of the economic benefit of household solar systems.
 
Without net metering, a community solar garden would be impractical.
 
What the Legislation Does

• HB 1776 and SB 1664 raise the statutory cap on Net Metering to accommodate expected growth in renewable energy generation in Massachusetts
• Net metering allows renewable electricity (solar, wind) generators to net out the energy drawn from the grid with energy sent to the grid over a billing period (billing month). Without net metering, there would be no practical way for residential solar to be compensated for the power they send to the grid
• The ability to net meter creates up to 15% of the value of residential solar systems
• Under current regulations, National Grid does not have to provide net-metering for solar or wind capacity in excess of 51 megawatts.
• There are 28 megawatts of capacity already being net metered and 189 megawatts that have applied to be net-metered
• Total demand for net-metering could exceed 217 megawatts (more than 4 times the current limit).

If the net-metering cap is not raised,

• There is a possibility that some or all of the Solarize households would see the economics of their contractual obligations worsened.
• The likelihood that the town could use solar to stabilize or reduce it's electricity bills diminishes significantly
• The community solar garden would become impractical.

In short, supporting legislation to raise the net metering cap would ensure that all Solarize systems would generate the benefits anticipated last summer and would ensure the practicality of the Community Solar Garden.
 
The level of support for this legislation among our board of selectmen is not clear. Your presence Tuesday night could make a difference.

If you would like to express your support for this legislation directly, ask Jen Benson and John Keenan to support House Bill 1776 and/or ask Jamey Eldridge and Benjamin Downing to support Senate Bill 1664.
 
Please feel free to contact me with any questions.

 

Jim Elkind

(m) 508-517-0800

(f)   801-846-5128

 

Jim Elkind

(m) 508-517-0800