Senators Stand Up For Net Metering

The Kochs and their fossil fuel cronies have attacked our blossoming clean energy industry at every turn. https://t.co/b75EwoFXwv

— Senator Harry Reid (@SenatorReid) February 3, 2016

Right now, SEIA is closely focused on the U.S. Senate, where a move has been made to protect hundreds of thousands of Americans who are harnessing the power of the sun through rooftop solar. 

An amendment by Sens. Angus King, I-Maine, and Harry Reid, D-Nev., to the Senate energy bill, now being debated on the floor, protects consumers by codifying their right to sell power back to the electric grid. It would safeguard consumers who have already invested in solar systems for their homes and businesses against retroactive rule changes to net energy metering policies.

“Our electric grid has barely changed in a century, but that is quickly coming to an end,” Sen. Reid said on the floor of the Senate.

Today utilities rely on centralized technology to deliver power to consumers through the grid. Costs to maintain the infrastructure that transports the electricity from generation facilities to transmission lines, substations and distribution lines are paid by all customers based on the amount of power they consume.

“This utility business model made sense for 130 years. It makes no sense anymore,” Reid said.

It has been nine years since a major energy bill passed Congress. All the while, solar has started to transform the way Americans consume electricity. Net metering is a smart, popular policy that helps stabilize the grid and saves all consumers money.

In the face of heavy old school utility pressure, the Senate should listen to an overwhelming majority of Americans who support clean, solar energy and adopt the King-Reid amendment.