Connecting to the Grid
In This Issue
Note from the Editor
State News in Detail
Miscellaneous News
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OCTOBER 2013
Vol. 16 No. 10

Note from the Editor

 

Distributed Solar Math 101 

 

In almost every math class I ever took, the teacher always stressed the importance of defining the variables of the problem.  "Without knowing what your variables are, how do you know what problem to solve?" This would be an important lesson for the current trend to value the net impact of distributed solar generation in the U.S.

 

With the exponential growth we've seen in the market, the price of solar is dropping, leading to a significantly larger percentage of solar generating capacity on the grid.  As a result there are numerous discussions and regulatory proceedings happening around the country to determine the value that distributed solar brings to the table and whether current policies and regulations could benefit from an update.  These discussions are taking place through cost/benefit studies of net energy metering (NEM) and through the development of value of solar tariffs (VOST). Check out this map I created to show recent state and utility activities around the country to consider the value of distributed solar.

 


State News in Detail 

 

Northeast States        

Massachusetts finalizes solar carve out rules

 

Vermont co-op seeks to resume net metering

 

Mid-Atlantic States    

D.C. Council approves virtual net metering for the city

 

Midwestern States      

Michigan PSC seeks comments on renewable energy report

 

Minnesota's Xcel Energy community solar plan revealed

 

Southern States          

Georgia Power petitions for new fee for solar customers

 

Western States          

Arizona Commission strikes down two utility net metering proposals

 

California enacts two important solar bills

 

Other States                     

Alaska RCA to rethink small power producer rules in 2014

 

 

IREC News                  

Overlap in PV Solar Approval Processes Can Be Reduced

 

Miscellaneous News       

NREL Releases New Roadmap to Reducing Solar PV "Soft Costs" by 2020


 

 

 

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