November 09 Connecting to the Grid Newsletter

Editor: Laurel Varnado
NC Solar Center, NC State University

HOW TO SUBSCRIBE

The Connecting to the Grid newsletter is published electronically every month by the Interstate Renewable Energy Council, Inc. (IREC) and the North Carolina Solar Center at North Carolina State University. This is a free publication. Click here to subscribe.

FORMAT

While customer-sited net metering and interconnection are primarily state issues, they are also becoming important on a regional basis. This newsletter has been designed to capture any subtle, emerging regional trends. The state news is presented in geographic categories, primarily because the standard NERC and/or RTO/ISO regions do not always align with state boundaries. Please direct comments and questions about the newsletter to Laurel Varnado.

November_2009_Connecting_to_the_Grid (pdf)

November 2009 Connecting to the Grid (Word file)

WHAT’S NEW AS OF NOVEMBER 2009?

Supermodels of Renewable Energy Policy

As President Barack Obama declared October National Energy Awareness Month, I thought it was fitting that IREC released several useful documents last month. These reports should be of special interest to the readers of Connecting to the Grid because all of them touch upon net metering and interconnection and include: Connecting to the Grid Guide 6th edition, Net Metering and Interconnection Model Procedures, and the 2009 Updates and Trends Report.

As many of you are aware, IREC strives to promote best practices in renewable energy policy. The net metering and interconnection models provide a detailed picture of what IREC considers best practices in these arenas. They provide a useful means for anyone interested in learning more about these tools, including policy makers, regulators, utilities, industry representatives and the general public. The following is a summary of some of the main provisions in each of the models:

Net metering

• No hard cap on system size, instead systems are limited to the service entrance capacity
• Indefinite rollover of net metering credits (this helps to prevent over-sizing of systems)
• No aggregate limit on participation in net metering programs
• No explicit prohibition of 3rd party ownership of net metered systems
• Customer retains Renewable Energy Credits associated with production.
• The aggregation of multiple meters is allowed on a customer-generator’s property or contiguous properties (i.e. one system may off-set multiple meters, regardless of rate schedule).

[Continued in the Newsletter]

State News in Detail

Northeast States

–Maine PUC issues proposed rules for the Community-Based Renewable Energy Pilot Program

–Massachusetts DPU announced deployment of 5 MW of utility solar installations

–New York DPS seeks to evaluate the permitting process for interconnecting generators

Mid-Atlantic States

–D.C. PSC issues Notice of Proposed Rulemaking for net metering regulations

–Maryland PSC will hold rule-making session on the state’s RPS modifications

–New Jersey BPU issues solicitation for grid-connected wind and biomass projects

Midwestern States

–Michigan PSC launches renewable energy tracking system

–Missouri PSC closes net metering docket

–Wisconsin PSC holds technical conference on Advanced Renewables Tariff

Southern States

–North Carolina Commission issues RFP for the development of a REC tracking system

–South Carolina utilities file net metering tariffs with the PSC

Western States

–California PUC releases report on CSI program

–Colorado re-issues interconnection rules

–Nevada PUC opens an investigation of Feed-in Tariffs

–Oregon PUC issues draft rule for pilot solar feed-in tariff

Other States

–Alaska RCA approves net metering modifications

–Hawaii Governor links with China for renewable energy partnership

Miscellaneous News

–Solar Advocates Applaud PG&E Commitment to Expand Net Metering Program in California

–DOE and NREL Announce Open PV Mapping Project

–Super Hub Planned to Move Renewable Energy

Conferences and Events

Jane Pulaski