New Website Highlights Popularity of Rooftop Solar, Opposition to Xcel’s Attacks on Solar

Coloradans support rooftop solar. They have made that abundantly clear time and time again. A recent poll demonstrated that 70% of Coloradans support net metering, a critical solar policy. In December, hundreds of residents descended on Xcel headquarters to oppose the utility’s attacks on rooftop solar. And at the beginning of February, Coloradans packed a Public Utilities Commission hearing room to voice opposition to Xcel’s proposal to limit energy choice in the state. Homeowners understand that rooftop solar can provide savings on their electric bills and pave the way for a strong, clean energy future. Xcel Energy has chosen to ignore the public – its own customers – and oppose rooftop solar. The utility wants to roll back net metering, a critical policy for Colorado’s environment and economic growth. In 43 states, net metering gives rooftop solar customers full retail credit for the excess energy they deliver back to the grid. Utilities like Xcel turn around and sell this exported energy at the full retail rate to the neighbors, even though they paid nothing to generate, transmit or distribute that cleaner power. Xcel wants to eliminate net metering to stifle rooftop solar and protect its monopoly. This week, The Alliance for Solar Choice (TASC) launched a new website highlighting Coloradans’ opposition to Xcel Energy’s efforts to undermine successful solar policy. The site, cosolarvoices.com features three Coloradans’ personal stories about why they support rooftop solar. Each of the speakers come from a different background but they share the conviction that rooftop solar is the key to Colorado’s energy future. These voices also share frustration over Xcel’s determination to hold onto its monopoly at any cost. “We should all be able to make the choices that we want to make,” says Jamie, a mom of two from Denver. “The utilities should not be controlling those choices.” Gary, a rancher and rodeo star agrees that “Xcel knows there went some profit for them, and that’s all they care about.” “It’s like they have the gimmes… gimme, gimme, gimme,” says Richard, a Veteran and lifelong Broncos fan. These personal stories echo across the entire state. Coloradans know that rolling back net metering now would have a chilling effect on Colorado’s solar industry, the jobs it creates, and the consumer energy choice it provides. Read more at http://cleantechnica.com/2014/02/25/new-website-highlights-popularity-rooftop-solar-opposition-xcels-attacks-solar/#AvJpwM08KSQeeB0Y.99

Top ten states for solar jobs: Colorado's on the list, but advocate says the news isn't all good

According to a solar jobs census conducted under the auspices of The Solar Foundation, Colorado ranked ninth in the U.S. for solar jobs, with 3,600 people employed by the industry here during 2013. See an infographic about the findings below. A cause to celebrate? Not according to Margaret McCall, an energy associate with Environment Colorado. That's because the state actually is lower on the roster than it was last year due to hiring stagnation. "In Colorado, we have the fifth greatest solar potential in the country because of all our sunshine," McCall says. "But we saw a 0 percent increase in employment between 2012 and 2013. And that's pretty disappointing." This holding action wasn't mirrored elsewhere, McCall adds. "Other states are bounding forward in terms of solar. Employment in the industry nationwide grew by almost 20 percent last year. But not here." The result was slippage in the solar-jobs rankings. As noted by the Denver Business Journal, Colorado fell three slots from 2012 in terms of both total jobs and solar jobs per capita; the state went from 7th to 10th in this last category between 2012 and 2013. In the view of solar boosters, the situation would have been worsened had a GOP attempt to repeal the rural renewable energy standard been successful; it was defeated last month. But McCall is still concerned about possible changes in net metering, which she describes as "fair credit for homeowners who have solar for sending excess energy back to the grid." As reported by Green Tech Media, Xcel Energy has asked for changes in the net metering standard that advocates believe would cost solar users currently benefiting from it. And while the Public Utilities Commission has not yet approved the plan, the proposal itself concerns McCall. "Our hypothesis is that uncertainty in the future of these policies is contributing to the slowdown," she says. How can Colorado reverse the current trend and begin climbing the solar-jobs list again? "We need to get a firm commitment from leaders with pro-solar policies to turn this around," McCall believes. "And it won't happen on its own."

Public Packs Both Public Utilities Commission Hearing Rooms on Behalf of Net Metering!

More than 100 solar supporters showed up, filling both PUC hearing rooms and over-flowing into the halls. The crowd was a diverse mix including solar home owners and installers- but the message was consistent: Coloradans overwhelmingly support protecting policies that are making rooftop solar more affordable and accessible to Coloradans. Those who spoke were articulate and passionate, noting that rooftop solar makes the grid stronger, gives consumers control over their energy futures, helps our state diversify its economy and safeguards its environment. Many spoke of doing the right thing for our grandchildren. These impassioned rooftop solar supporters outnumbered the few detractors 16 to 1. The session was an opportunity for the public to let the Commission know that as they embark on evaluating net metering, the public wants a transparent and inclusive process that fairly values the benefits of rooftop solar. Public participation couldn't be more important right now. Xcel can't hold all of the cards when it comes to charting the path forward for Colorado's clean energy. If you couldn't make it out to the public comment session, it's still not to late to speak up in support of a fair and transparent process for evaluating rooftop solar. Go to this website http://action.votesolar.org/page/speakout/COfairprocess to let your Commissioners know that you are paying attention to this issue.

Colorado legislature votes Down Rolling Back Renewable Energy Standards

At the start of the 2014 session, Colorado legislators introduced four bills attacking the higher renewable energy standards set for rural electric co-ops in the 2013 session. By Jan. 30, three of the four bills were dead, killed in the first committees to hear them. The renewable energy backlash came in response to Senate Bill 13-252, which passed in the 2013 session under heavy controversy. SB 252 amended the state's existing Renewable Energy Standard for large rural electric co-ops and electric wholesalers serving co-ops. It requires large co-ops and wholesalers to provide 25 percent of their power mix from renewable energy by 2020, up from the previous requirement of 10 percent by 2020. In response, legislators introduced four bills this January that would cut back 252’s requirements. The House Transportation and Energy Committee killed two, House Bills 1067 and 1113, while the Senate State, Veterans & Military Affairs Committee killed Senate Bill 35. The only active bill is Senate Bill 82, the least aggressive of the four. It focuses on a sliver of the improvements achieved by SB 252, addressing the section governing what is called “distributed renewable energy,” which is the renewable energy systems owned by customers, such as rooftop solar PV. SB 252 requires that 1 percent of large co-op’s total renewable energy come from distributed energy, or 0.75 percent for smaller co-ops. The 2014 legislation, SB 82, would lower that level to 0.5 percent for all rural electric co-ops. SB 82 is sponsored by state Sen. Kevin Grantham, R-Canon City, and 11 other state senators have signed on as co-sponsors. It is assigned to the Senate State, Veterans & Military Affairs Committee. CLEER is tracking the 17 clean energy bills now moving through the state Legislature on a page on the Garfield Clean Energy website. To learn about all these bills, visit www.GarfieldCleanEnergy.org, and find the “State Legislature” link under the “Government” tab.

Colorado holds hearing on Xcel's solar panel plan

DENVER -- Colorado's Public Utilities Commission is reviewing Xcel Energy's plans for ensuring solar and other renewable sources remain part of the state's power mix as regulators debate rules for compliance with a renewable energy law approved by voters. A key issue at Monday's public comment session is expected to be an Xcel proposal for what it calls more transparency on who gains and loses financially when rooftop solar is fed into the grid. With utilities across the country challenging what is known as net metering as too costly, proponents of solar energy see Xcel's proposal as a possible first step toward reducing what rooftop solar producers are paid. Colorado was the first state in the nation to adopt a renewable energy standard by a vote of the people. After four consecutive years of failing in the Legislature, the measure was taken to the ballot through a citizen's initiative in 2004. Amendment 37 created a renewable standard for investor-owned utilities to be achieved by 2015. The measure also established net metering and interconnection standards for major utilities and programs for solar generation. Minneapolis-based Xcel operates in eight states. Coloradoans make up nearly half its 3.4 million electricity customers. Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/2014/02/03/3910087/colo-holds-hearing-on-xcels-solar.html#storylink=cpy