Rooftop solar subsidies favor wealthy

I fully support incorporating solar power into our energy mix, and believe it is an industry that should continue to grow in South Carolina.

However, the way customers are reimbursed for the excess energy generated by their rooftop systems (called net-metering) puts them at an unfair advantage over those without solar systems when it comes to their monthly energy bill.

Rooftop solar users are allowed to sell the unused energy generated by their solar panels back to electric companies at the retail rate. Even though they have solar panels, the energy grid still supplies energy to their homes and businesses when the sun isn’t shining.

Under existing net-metering policies, rooftop solar users are not paying the fixed costs that everyone else pays on their monthly energy bill to maintain the poles and wires that make up the energy grid. These fixed costs are disproportionately passed on to those without rooftop solar —even though all customers rely on the energy grid.

Solar panels are expensive to install and leasing solar panels requires a significant upfront investment — and high credit scores. They also cannot be installed on apartments or community-housing developments, so they’re not an option for all energy customers.

__________

Death of solar energy bill shows SCE&G, other utilities still write SC energy policy

Lifting SC solar cap won’t do much good by itself. But this will.

You heard about the utilities’ first attack on solar. Do you know about their second?

Why should the rest of us pay to subsidize people who choose rooftop solar power?

If we use solar, why should utilities get to charge us for electricity we don’t use?

__________

Net-metering subsides tend to favor wealthy homeowners and force other customers to shoulder an increasing amount of the fixed costs associated with energy grid upkeep. These South Carolinians should not have to pay higher energy bills simply because they do not have, or cannot afford, solar panels.

I encourage the Legislature to support policies that would level the playing field on customers’ energy bills by reducing the rate at which new rooftop solar users can sell back their excess energy, and requiring all customers to pay the fixed costs associated with maintaining the energy grid.

It’s time for South Carolina to end these socially regressive net-metering policies and ensure that all customers are treated fairly on their energy bills.

The State publishes a cross section of the letters we receive from South Carolinians in order to provide a forum for our community and also to allow our community to get a good look at itself, for good or bad. The letters represent the views of the letter writers, not necessarily of The State.

This story was originally published May 8, 2018 at 2:18 PM with the headline "Rooftop solar subsidies favor wealthy."