Electric chickens and eggs
Submitted by James on Thu, 07/08/2010 - 8:16am
Bob Geary has a thorough overview of the state of affairs regarding electric cars, net metering, smart grids, and utility foot-dragging. Net metering, in particular, should be a top priority for progressives during the 2011 General Assembly. It's time to get plugged in.
Duke Energy and Progress Energy, says John Runkle, a utilities expert who is general counsel to NC WARN, "have dragged their feet for years" on the subject of net metering—which would require the utilities to pay as much for the electricity they buy (from solar, wind and other generators) as they charge for selling it.
The term refers to having electric meters run forward, as usual, when a customer is taking power from the grid, and backward when she's sending it. "It's not to their advantage to do net metering," Runkle says. "They like to sell energy. They're not anxious the other way."
That dynamic won't change, says Ivan Urlaub, executive director of the N.C. Sustainable Energy Association, until state policies change to give the utility companies an incentive to welcome outside power. As it stands, any power the utilities buy cuts into their profits.
In 2011, the association expects to lobby the General Assembly for policies that require the utilities to accept more outside power and reward them for doing so. Solar and wind, and the companies that generate them, would be the main beneficiaries. But in the not too distant future, thousands of EV owners, or tens of thousands, or hundreds of thousands, may be calling their legislators saying, we'd like to sell some power, too.
Who will lead?
Which state senators and representatives can we count on to bring smart, effective legislation on net metering to the floor of both houses?
Do good. Be nice. Have fun.
Sometimes I think the average person thinks the 'alternative..
energy' debate is about replacing what we have with wind or solar. There needs to be an education about how electric can be added to the grid which supplies all our electrical energy. Coal and oil will be with us for quite a while yet, especially in the states that like to keep the people in the dark. (no pun intended)
Electric planes, too
Flying for 26 hours!
Do good. Be nice. Have fun.
It would also aid
...methane gas waste to energy from landfills and hog farms.
Also, smart grid would aid many forms of distributed generation, provided that the utility monopoly could be overcome by legislation.
Why?
Why would any company be willing to buy back electricity(or any other product)at the same rate they charge the consumer for it? Your power bill covers not only the cost of power generation but also the cost of distribution (lines, substations, transformers, meters, maintenance trucks, workers, etc.). If there is some agreed upon wholesale price out there, it would be reasonable for the utilities to buy it or even be forced to buy it, but at retail it doesn't make sense unless they choose to do so at certain times rather than expand production capacity.