July 13, 2009

Delaware bills allow for indefinite NEG rollover, increase aggregate cap and provide net metering-like credits for grid integrated vehicles

DELAWARE – On July 9, Governor Markell signed several bills related to renewable energy. Of interest to Connecting to the Grid readers will be SB 153 and SB 85: SB 85 allows for indefinite rollover of Net Excess Generation (NEG) for net metering systems and increases the aggregate participation cap for net metering to 5%…

DELAWAREOn July 9, Governor Markell signed several bills related to renewable energy. Of interest to Connecting to the Grid readers will be SB 153 and SB 85:

SB 85 allows for indefinite rollover of Net Excess Generation (NEG) for net metering systems and increases the aggregate participation cap for net metering to 5% of utilities’ peak demand (up from 1%). Excess credits are valued, per kWh, as equal to the sum of delivery service charges and supply service charges for residential customers and the sum of the volumetric energy (kWh) components of the delivery service charges and supply service charges for nonresidential customers. Although it allows for indefinite rollover of NEG, at the end of the calendar year, a customer may request a payment from the utility for any excess kWh credits. The bill also specifies that the customer-generator retains ownership of all renewable energy credits (RECs) associated with the energy produced.

The bill also extends net metering to farm service customers on residential rates for systems up to 100 kW (or more on a case-by-case basis). Previously the limit was 25 kW. The Energy Office may also grant a waiver to increase the size of the system above the 100 kW limit, after comparing the output of the system to the energy requirements of the farm. This law applies to farm customers who are customers of DP&L, DEC, or municipal electric companies that receive distribution service under a residential tariff.

SB 153 allows retail electric customers with one or more grid-integrated electric vehicles to be credited in kilowatt-hours for energy discharged to the grid from the vehicle’s battery at the same kWh rate that customer pays to charge the battery from the grid. For electric customers with time of use rates, the kWh rate for charging and discharging shall be the rate in effect when charging or discharging occurs. Excess kWh credits will be handled in the same manner as net metering credits. To qualify the grid-integrated electric vehicle must meet certain requirements.