Stop the Federal Government From Destroying Rooftop Solar Power

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Dear FERC Commissioners,

As an individual ratepayer, I’m deeply concerned about the petition filed by the pro-fossil fuel New England Ratepayers Association that urges FERC to invalidate all net metering statutes and regulations across the continental United States and take control of net metering nationwide.

If FERC were to invalidate state net metering nationwide and treat rooftop and local solar installations as if they are a large commercial power plant putting power on the grid it could have a devastating impact on the 2.3 million homeowners nationwide that rely on current net metering compensation from their utilities. If the rate of compensation is reduced, it would make the solar panels they’ve installed on their homes unaffordable.

It would also dissuade homeowners considering the installation of solar panels on their homes from doing so, which would harm solar installers and thousands of employees in the midst of an economic crisis nationwide.

And states and localities nationwide would be harmed as well. Rooftop solar does not just benefit homeowners with solar panels. Local solar helps everyone save by reducing transmission costs, providing local peak energy resources, and bolstering grid resilience.

FERC has previously ruled that net metering is properly left to the states. Since that time, net metering has been employed successfully in many states, with each state tailoring net metering to its particular market.

There is no reason for FERC to reverse course now and take that authority away from the states, where it properly belongs. Doing so would result in harms to the millions of Americans who have installed solar on their homes or were considering it.

I urge FERC to reject NERA’s petition and leave net metering to the states.

Sincerely,

Over 2 million homes in the US have rooftop solar panels installed, ensuring clean solar energy is part of the local energy mix across the US. Rooftop solar panels are affordable because homeowners are able to sell excess power generated by the panels on their roof back to their local utility. That process is known as net metering and is regulated by each state. Net metering is working well.

Net metering is now under attack. A group called the New England Ratepayers Association (NERA), which is funded by corporations and actively opposed to renewable energy, is seeking to invalidate all current state-level net metering statutes and transfer control of net metering to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). NERA wants FERC in control because FERC would treat a home with rooftop solar as if it is a utility and pay these homeowners the wholesale rate for solar power they generate, instead of the current, higher retail rate they receive. That would result in homeowners with solar panels receiving far less money for the power they sell back to the grid.

If that happens, the 2 million-plus homeowners who’ve installed solar on their roofs would suddenly be paid much less for the energy they sell back to the grid. Their solar rooftop could suddenly be unaffordable.

Many homeowners who were considering solar power for their homes will no longer be able to afford it, and thousands of solar installer jobs would be lost. The impacts on homeowners, the solar industry, and the climate would be devastating.

During a pandemic and at a time when the nation is experiencing protests against anti-black racism, FERC is fast tracking NERA’s petition to limit time to comment.

That's why we need to act fast. Take action now to urge FERC to reject NERA’s petition and preserve rooftop solar nationwide!

Green America, 1612 K St NW Ste 600, Washington DC 20006, 1-800-58-GREEN
www.greenamerica.org

Thank You!