Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E), San Diego Gas and Electric (SDG&E) and Southern California Edison need to explain their methods in calculating the quantity of net-metered energy to the grid, the Californian Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) has announced.
Under the net-metering scheme, customers get credit on their energy bills for excess energy their systems generate. Officially, the scheme is capped at “5%of aggregate consumer peak demand” but there are no regulations as to how the different utilities calculate this 5%.
Therefore, the net-metered energy allowance has become more restricted than intended. The Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) said it appreciates and supports the CPUC’s proposal, as it would increase the use of renewable energies while simultaneously lowering costs for energy rate payers.
Carrie Hitt, vice president of state affairs for the SEIA, summarized the proposal: “Unlike the current cap calculation methodology, which overestimates the amount of solar on the grid, the CPUC proposal is in line with the original intent of California’s [net-metering] law.”
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