Solar has grown exponentially in the past decade with prices decreasing nearly 90%. It’s become the least-expensive form of new electrical generation.
There are powerful forces opposing solar and clean renewable energy. A report released in June, 2021 by Environment America, the Frontier Group and U.S. PIRG’s Education Fund, shines a light on who is trying to stop solar and their tactics.
The usual suspects are at play, Utilities and the Fossil Fuel industry who are motivated to keep their market share and protect their profits while continuing to produce carbon emissions that harm people and the environment.
No Washington Utilities were named in the report however they did note the Koch brothers’ financial contributions to Americans For Prosperity, who contributed to U.S. Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, (WA) political campaigns. So far, in the 2022 campaign cycle, Rep. Rodgers has received $69,001 from the petroleum industry, the third highest amount of Congress members. Morris serves on the House Energy Committee which makes her an ideal target for the fossil fuel industry.
The Blocking Rooftop Solar report recommends the following strategies to counter anti-solar forces:
State decisionmakers, including governors, legislators, utility oversight boards and others, should resist efforts by utilities and other special interests to limit the spread of rooftop solar. Decisionmakers should reject these groups’ efforts to weaken pro-solar policies, including:
• Caps, restrictions on or elimination of net metering.
• Rollbacks or elimination of state renewable energy standards.
• Unfair or discriminatory charges or tariffs on solar power system owners.
• Utility rate structures that penalize or discourage solar installation.
• Broader, unneeded regulatory burdens on solar energy.
States should also promote and defend policies that support the growth of rooftop solar and speed the national transition toward 100% renewable energy. These include:
• Considering the full benefits of distributed solar energy to the grid, to ratepayers and to society in solar energy ratemaking or policy decisions.
• Implementing strong net metering and interconnection standards, which enable many customers to meet their own electricity needs with solar power.
• Supporting community shared solar projects and virtual net metering, which can expand public access to solar power.
• Enacting or expanding solar carve-outs and renewable electricity standards.
• Enabling financing mechanisms to allow for greater solar access for businesses and residents.
• Allowing companies that are not utilities to sell or lease solar to residents and businesses.
• Investing wisely in making the electric grid more intelligent, which will facilitate a greater role for distributed sources of energy such as solar power.
In addition, policymakers should reaffirm and strengthen U.S. national and international commitments to reduce emissions that cause global warming. Solar power will play an increasing role in reducing U.S. carbon emissions, shrinking the carbon footprint of our energy production and usage, and moving the country toward a cleaner future.
When you’re ready to consider solar for your home or business, give us a call at 206-706-1931 or fill out our contact form below and tell us a little bit about your solar project.