by Ed Blume | Sep 27, 2012 | Uncategorized
(Madison) – In testimony submitted to the Public Service
Commission of Wisconsin (PSCW) on Wednesday, RENEW Wisconsin objected to We
Energies’ proposal to weaken its net-metering service to new customers seeking
to generate electricity on-site using solar panels and other renewable energy
systems.
In its current rate proceeding, We Energies proposes not
to pay a new customer-generator for any electricity produced in excess of the
amount consumed on site.
“We Energies’ proposal is a radical
departure from its current practice paying the full retail rate for energy
that’s fed back to the utility’s system,” said Michael Vickerman, director of
programs and policy for RENEW Wisconsin, a statewide renewable energy advocacy
organization.
“This proposal is the most
extreme example yet of We Energies’ ongoing retreat from customer-sited
renewables, and we urge the PSCW to reject it.
Net metering allows customers to sell
the unused output from their solar electric or other renewable energy systems
back to the utility at the full retail rate each month, so long as the total
amount of electricity produced is less than or equal to the customers’
usage.
“Utilities routinely pay for all the energy supplied by non-utility generators to its
system.
“By refusing to purchase the
small amounts of electricity they may export to the utility, We Energies is abusing
its monopoly power in a way that discriminates against its own customers.”
Vickerman said.
In
its proposal, We Energies would limit its net metering service to systems no
larger than 20 kilowatts. In contrast, Madison Gas & Electric, Xcel Energy,
and Wisconsin Public Service provide net metering to systems as large as 100
kilowatts.
“When you take into account what other in-state
utilities are offering, it seems obvious that We Energies is asking for special
treatment from the PSC.
Yet, it has
provided nothing in its rate case to demonstrate that a higher net metering ceiling
would cause it any more harm than to the other utilities,” said Vickerman.
Vickerman
pointed to Michigan as a better model for setting net-metering service
standards.
“Thanks
to legislation passed in 2008, We Energies’ Michigan customers enjoy a much
higher standard of service than what the utility proposes for its Wisconsin
customers,” Vickerman said.
“Along with
all other investor-owned utilities in Michigan, We Energies must provide full
retail credit for all electricity produced by renewable energy systems up to 20
kW and must provide a reasonable net metering rate for systems up to 150 kW.”
In
the most recent Freeing the Grid: Best Practices in State Metering Policies report
prepared for the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Michigan rated an “A”
for its net-metering policies. By comparison, Wisconsin earned a “C.” The report can be viewed here.
Earlier this month, RENEW issued
a report card grading individual utility performance
on renewable energy, in which We Energies received a “C” for its 2011 performance.
-END-
RENEW Wisconsin is an independent, nonprofit
501(c)(3) organization that leads and represents businesses, organizations, and
individuals who seek more clean renewable energy in Wisconsin.More information on RENEW’s Web site at
www.renewwisconsin.org.
by jboullion | Sep 17, 2012 | Uncategorized
From a Dairyland Power Cooperative news release:
LA CROSSE, WI— Dairyland Power Cooperative is purchasing the excess energy output from a new 368 kW solar photovoltaic installation at the City of Galena (Ill.) Wastewater Treatment Plant. The facility is interconnected with Jo-Carroll Energy (Elizabeth, Ill.), a Dairyland member cooperative.
The solar units’ production at the wastewater treatment plant is expected to produce sufficient power to satisfy the facility’s energy needs. Dairyland has a power purchase agreement in place with the City of Galena for all energy produced beyond that required to power the wastewater treatment plant.
Eagle Point Solar, based in Dubuque, Iowa, installed the photovoltaic system. The project installation was partially funded by an Illinois Clean Energy Community Foundation grant. “Jo-Carroll Energy is pleased to be collaborating on a local renewable energy project that serves a critical facility in our area, and provides benefits to the environment,” said Michael Hastings, Jo-Carroll Energy CEO.
With headquarters in La Crosse, Wis., Dairyland provides wholesale electricity to Jo-Carroll Energy and 24 other member distribution cooperatives and 15 municipal utilities in four states (Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa and Illinois). Dairyland’s generation resources include coal, natural gas, hydro, wind, landfill gas, biomass, solar and animal waste. For more information about Dairyland, visit www.dairynet.com.
by jboullion | Sep 14, 2012 | Uncategorized
From a blog post by Tom Content on JSOnline:
We Energies and other Wisconsin utilities are getting average grades from a renewable energy advocacy group in ratings released this week.
Renew Wisconsin announced a renewable energy performance report card that judges how utilities have performed on a variety of levels, including the compliance with the state’s renewable energy mandate as well as a variety of other policies.
Most of the utilities in the state, including Milwaukee-based We Energies, received “C” grades from Renew Wisconsin, said Don Wichert, executive director of the non-profit organization that seeks to expand development of solar, wind and other types of renewable energy.
We Energies was praised for its construction of wind farms within the state, creating jobs and providing a local source of green power. But the Milwaukee utility was faulted in part for its decision last year to cancel funding for a renewable energy commitment it gave to Renew 10 years ago.
At that time, We Energies committed to spending $6 million a year for 10 years on a variety of renewable energy programs. In return, the renewable energy advocacy group agreed not to oppose We Energies’ bid to build its coal-fired power plants in Oak Creek.
The shift away from helping customers finance renewable systems is one reason We Energies was graded as a “C” on the group’s report card, said Wichert.
Read More…
by jboullion | Sep 14, 2012 | Uncategorized
From a blog post by Tom Content on JSOnline:
We Energies and other Wisconsin utilities are getting average grades from a renewable energy advocacy group in ratings released this week.
Renew Wisconsin announced a renewable energy performance report card that judges how utilities have performed on a variety of levels, including the compliance with the state’s renewable energy mandate as well as a variety of other policies.
Most of the utilities in the state, including Milwaukee-based We Energies, received “C” grades from Renew Wisconsin, said Don Wichert, executive director of the non-profit organization that seeks to expand development of solar, wind and other types of renewable energy.
We Energies was praised for its construction of wind farms within the state, creating jobs and providing a local source of green power. But the Milwaukee utility was faulted in part for its decision last year to cancel funding for a renewable energy commitment it gave to Renew 10 years ago.
At that time, We Energies committed to spending $6 million a year for 10 years on a variety of renewable energy programs. In return, the renewable energy advocacy group agreed not to oppose We Energies’ bid to build its coal-fired power plants in Oak Creek.
The shift away from helping customers finance renewable systems is one reason We Energies was graded as a “C” on the group’s report card, said Wichert.
Read More…
by jboullion | Sep 14, 2012 | Uncategorized
From a blog post by Tom Content on JSOnline:
We Energies and other Wisconsin utilities are getting average grades from a renewable energy advocacy group in ratings released this week.
Renew Wisconsin announced a renewable energy performance report card that judges how utilities have performed on a variety of levels, including the compliance with the state’s renewable energy mandate as well as a variety of other policies.
Most of the utilities in the state, including Milwaukee-based We Energies, received “C” grades from Renew Wisconsin, said Don Wichert, executive director of the non-profit organization that seeks to expand development of solar, wind and other types of renewable energy.
We Energies was praised for its construction of wind farms within the state, creating jobs and providing a local source of green power. But the Milwaukee utility was faulted in part for its decision last year to cancel funding for a renewable energy commitment it gave to Renew 10 years ago.
At that time, We Energies committed to spending $6 million a year for 10 years on a variety of renewable energy programs. In return, the renewable energy advocacy group agreed not to oppose We Energies’ bid to build its coal-fired power plants in Oak Creek.
The shift away from helping customers finance renewable systems is one reason We Energies was graded as a “C” on the group’s report card, said Wichert.
Read More…
