Earthjustice. (2020, October 20). Profit-Hungry Utilities Fail to Stifle Solar Energy. Retrieved November 14, 2020, from https://earthjustice.org/blog/2020-october/profit-hungry-utilities-fail-to-stifle-solar-energy
Earlier this year, utility companies tried to make it harder for people to generate renewable energy. This would have taken away net metering through the FERC, which ensures those producing extra solar energy receive fair credit for energy produced but not used, something used in 49 states and territories for more than 40 years. It makes switching to solar more financially beneficial for millions of people in the country. The company writing this article, Earthjustice, and many other organizations petitioned the FERC in support of net metering to protect the industry. For some, net metering gives those of low income the ability to receive the money they need to pay for bills, with the loss of this program potentially being financially devastating. The FERC voted in favor of Earthjustice, protecting net metering and solar energy from monopoly companies that would have impacted millions of people with solar. This ruling ensures the establishment and growth of solar energy in the years to come.
This relates to environmental science as it is a huge victory for net metering and the solar panel industry. If the FERC had voted against Earthjustice, solar panels could have quickly disappeared or shrunk in numbers, delaying our progress towards clean energy. The triumph of net metering ensures the continuance of long-lasting policies in the industry that encourages the switch over to green energy and provides an income for many who need it. In my opinion, I am glad that net metering has been upheld but am concerned about what could happen in the future. I am very happy that the climate received a victory that will maintain the continuous growth in green energy and weaken the power of energy monopolies like PG&E. However, I am concerned with the ease that the FERC could have ruled against net metering. In several years, it is possible that these monopolies could try again or attempt to take down another policy favoring green energy and win if the people in the FERC have a different attitude. It surprised me how easily a long-time established policy could be struck down and am a little worried about how this will influence the development of renewable energy in the future.
I think it is really interesting how solar energy is that much more beneficial for this country. I also liked what you said about the ease that the FERC could have ruled against net metering, and I was wondering what negative and positive results would happen after the FERC ruled against net metering?
Thanks for reading! The negative effects would have been huge- people who had solar panels would not be able to make money selling their excess energy to the community, causing there to be no incentive to switch to solar energy. I couldn’t find a pro for ruling against net metering, but a con of net metering is that people are using the electrical companies’ own infrastructure without any cost connected to this to make money,
I am surprised that people would attempt to get rid of net metering, considering how focused people are on renewable energy. I agree that people even bringing up the dismantling of net metering is frightening since people from big monopolies have so much power, so the ruling could have easily gone the other. How close was the vote for net metering? Were a most people in favor of it or was it a close call?
Thanks for reading! Fortunately, the voting for net metering was unanimous but groups opposed to net metering have only truly appeared in the last few years, so this may come up again.