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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsUtilities wage campaign against rooftop solar
By Joby Warrick
Three years ago, the nations top utility executives gathered at a Colorado resort to hear warnings about a grave new threat to operators of Americas electric grid: not superstorms or cyberattacks, but rooftop solar panels.
If demand for residential solar continued to soar, traditional utilities could soon face serious problems, from declining retail sales and a loss of customers to potential obsolescence, according to a presentation prepared for the group. Industry must prepare an action plan to address the challenges, it said.
The warning, delivered to a private meeting of the utility industrys main trade association, became a call to arms for electricity providers in nearly every corner of the nation. Three years later, the industry and its fossil-fuel supporters are waging a determined campaign to stop a home-solar insurgency that is rattling the boardrooms of the countrys government-regulated electric monopolies.
The campaigns first phasean industry push for state laws raising prices for solar customersfailed spectacularly in legislatures around the country, due in part to surprisingly strong support for solar energy from conservatives and evangelicals in traditionally red states. But more recently, the battle has shifted to public utility commissions, where industry backers have mounted a more successful push for fee hikes that could put solar panels out of reach for many potential customers.
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http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/utilities-sensing-threat-put-squeeze-on-booming-solar-roof-industry/2015/03/07/2d916f88-c1c9-11e4-ad5c-3b8ce89f1b89_story.html?hpid=z1
NYC_SKP
(68,644 posts)It can be found here:
https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/1374670-2012-eei-board-and-chief-executives-meeting.html#document/p48/a191712
The Post, here, is trying to foment outrage with an organization, the Edison Electric Institute, using ridiculous language rather than facts.
First of all, "private meetings" are common among all types of organizations. You can't just walk into an EEI meeting, or an Emily's list meeting, or an NREL meeting, there's no surprise there.
Secondly, EEI represents investor owned utilities which, like your favorite grocer or shoe seller, has to stay in business or be sold to another company which will have to, guess what, stay in business and be profitable.
So, three years ago, the organization sees more and more small installations on the horizon and they realize that a number of problems might occur:
Is the grid stable and robust enough to take on additional generation? (often no)
If fewer people are needing electrons from the utility, but are still connected in order to have power at night, and a place to send their surplus energy, what is a fair way to charge them for access to that grid?
If fewer people are using electricity but costs for maintaining the grid remain the same or rise, do regular customers have to start paying more???
>>>>These are all fair questions, but to many people utility companies are just big bad bullies out to rip us off.
It's a shame that people know so little about their electricity, the different sources used to create it, and how it gets to the customers.
Peace.
jwirr
(39,215 posts)fuels?
You are correct about the economic impact for utility companies. But what about the impact on our futures?
NYC_SKP
(68,644 posts)I'm on a tablet so hard to copy paste, but California state agencies encourage efficiency and renewable generation vigorously. The "loading order" and renewable energy generation incentives/mandates ensure continued deployment of carbon free generation technologies.
Sadly, other states aren't as progressive.
jwirr
(39,215 posts)hobbit709
(41,694 posts)iemitsu
(3,888 posts)Big business and corporate protectionism is exactly why the United States is no longer a leader in anything.
Scootaloo
(25,699 posts)How does this mesh with the principles of small government and the free market?
n2doc
(47,953 posts)The only principle is "will this make me richer or give me more power?"
And a lot of Dems hold to the same 'ideal'
Jack Rabbit
(45,984 posts)Moreover, I don't think a neoliberal Democrat has any principles that haven't been sold to him.
HereSince1628
(36,063 posts)tecelote
(5,122 posts)Beautiful Bird!
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10026332224#post5