Vermont solar company SunCommon will offer a free showing of Naomi Klein’s This Changes Everything, a film about the consequences and opportunities arising from climate change, tonight at Main Street Landing in Burlington at 5:30 PM. Full details are here. SunCommon will continue to offer showings of the film around the state over the next few weeks: the full schedule is here.
The beginning of this month’s Efficiency Vermont newsletter
Here’s a press release from Green Mountain Power about the net metering extension:
Colchester, Vt. – Green Mountain Power announced today that it has created a new solar map, which can be found on its website www.greenmountainpower.com, so Vermonters can see where solar is powering our state. The map allows Vermonters to see where solar energy is being generated and how it ties into the grid. This effort comes at a time when GMP is proposing a strategic limited extension of net metering so more Vermonters can put solar on their homes or businesses.
“As Vermont’s Energy Company of the Future, we are all about empowering customers with clean, reliable and cost-effective power,” said GMP President and CEO Mary Powell. “That means partnering with homeowners and businesses on an energy transformation that moves away from doubling down on the current grid system, and focuses more on homes, businesses, and communities, so we are generating power closer to where it is needed as we lower costs and increase reliability through innovations like battery storage.” Through its eHome and eBiz program, GMP is working with customers to accelerate the adoption of homes and businesses that are cost effective, use dramatically less energy and can operate more independently of the grid.
GMP has reached the original net metering cap set and agreed on by solar developers and lawmakers. GMP will outline its plan and ask to extend the net metering program on a limited basis in a filing with the Public Service Board. Pending board approval, GMP will continue to allow homes and businesses to go solar by accepting net metering applications that are 15 kW and under. The proposal also allows for 7.5 MW of community projects for homes and businesses that cannot directly place solar on their home or property. This helps the landowner who would like to cover at least 50% of his or her power usage, or who will be getting 2% of the output from the project. The Public Service Board is looking into a new net metering program that would start in 2017.
”Net metering is really important for business and residential customers, like us, who want to go solar,” said Kathy Harm, a homeowner in Rutland. “We are excited about the benefits we have gotten and are very pleased that GMP is extending the program so more Vermonters like me can generate solar and be able to make good energy choices.”
“I commend GMP and Vermonters for leading on solar and reaching this milestone for the net metering program, which is delivering clean power throughout the state,” said Sen. Chris Bray of Addison County. “Our state also requires utilities to provide energy that is affordable, so it’s prudent that GMP is now reassessing how to continue the movement to renewables while keeping an eye on costs for all ratepayers. I am confident that our energy future is bright in Vermont.”
“At GMP, we have internal solar siting standards that guide our work with homeowners, businesses, and communities,” said Powell. “Solar is a critical part of our energy future. This strategic limited extension of solar net metering fits with what customers tell us they want, which is to partner on energy transformation at the most local level.”
GMP’s new solar map helps inform customers where solar is being sited and how it ties into the grid. Using the solar map, you can see where projects are connected to the grid and operational and also where projects are proposed for the future by substation and circuit. GMP has created a color system to show Vermonters where capacity for new solar is abundant and where the grid is at or approaching capacity. The map itself is meant to help educate Vermonters about projects across the state and their impact on the grid system. The solar map will be updated weekly as more projects come online.
To check out the new GMP solar map, visit: http://www.greenmountainpower.com/innovative/solar/solar-map/
About Green Mountain Power:
Green Mountain Power (GMP) serves approximately 265,000 residential and business customers in Vermont and has a vision to be the best small company in America by partnering with Vermonters to improve lives and transform communities. GMP is focused on a new way of doing business to meet the needs of customers with integrated energy services that help people use less energy and save money, while continuing to generate clean, cost-effective and reliable power in Vermont. GMP is the first utility in the world to get a B Corp certification, meeting rigorous social, environmental, accountability and transparency standards and committing to use business as a force for good. In 2014, Vote Solar named GMP a Solar Champion. More information at: www.greenmountainpower.com. Connect with GMP on Facebook and follow us on Twitter @GreenMtnPower.
There’s good news, good news, bad news, and (UPDATE) more good news for some Vermonters who want to participate in generating renewable energy. The good news is very good news: Congress has extended federal tax credits for new renewable energy installations, including solar, wind, hydro, geothermal, and marine power (tidal generators, for instance–see April Fool’s Day post here), with solar and wind credits extending right out to 2020. This means that manufacturers, installers, homeowners, businesses, and communities can move forward with renewable energy plans without worrying whether or not tax credits will apply, and that makes a big difference in the numbers.
Read more about this at http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/renewables-boom-expected-thanks-to-tax-credit
The other good news is that Vermont has added new solar generation capacity so quickly, several Vermont utilities have already met their net metering goals. This is also, unfortunately, the bad news, because it means that under normal circumstances, Green Mountain Power customers wouldn’t be able to add new net-metered solar. That doesn’t mean the power wouldn’t be useful, but it would take away the huge advantage to everyone of making that solar power available through the grid and being paid a price for it that takes into account the additional value of non-fossil fuel generation. However, here’s an UPDATE from Green Mountain Power:
we [have] proposed to the Public Service Board … a limited strategic extension of net metering, and as part of it will continue to allow rooftop solar. We have also proposed having community projects for folks who can’t go solar …
So that’s good news for Green Mountain Power customers. The problem remains, unfortunately, for Vermont Electric Co-op and Hardwick Electric customers, as these two companies have also reached their caps and unlike GMP have not (to the best of my knowledge) made the additional effort to work around the net metering cap. Williston’s electric customers are about evenly split, geographically, between Green Mountain Power in the north part of town and Vermont Electric Co-op in the south part of town.
This problem will continue until net metering caps are raised; let’s hope that’s soon!
Read more about the net metering cap at http://vtdigger.org/2015/11/10/green-mountain-power-poised-to-top-net-metering-cap/.
Sustainable Williston will meet this Thursday evening, January 7th, at 7:15pm at the Dorothy Alling Memorial Library. Our chief topic of discussion will most likely be the town plan. Anyone who lives or works in Williston and is interested in sustainability is invited.