Puget Sound Energy (PSE) has taken a stance at this moment to extend and stabilize their Net Metering policy, at least through December 31, 2025. What will happen after that is in question at the moment, but we support this action by PSE. If you are a customer living in PSE territory considering solar – this window of time is absolutely the moment for you to act for yourself. No matter whether Net Metering changes after that, indications are that existing Net Metered customers will be grandfathered in with their existing agreement.
Washington’s Net Metering law has been progressive in some ways, but our solar protections have been handcuffed by low thresholds. A part of this has been that we have always had a relatively small amount of solar installations per capita, or per utility. As installers, sometimes over the years we have occasionally seen those low thresholds cause disruptions in the market and unpredictability for our clients and us. Currently our state law requires utilities to offer Net Metering to grid-tied solar customers, up to a capacity of 4% of the 1996 peak loads, a number which is reported by each utility and published by the state for each utility territory. Each different utility reaches whatever thresholds are in place at different times. For PSE, they have reached it now, and rather than disrupting the market while the legislature decides what to do in terms of extending Net Metering, PSE has decided to maintain stability at the moment.
The Net Metering law in Washington requires the utility to accept your excess clean energy to be back fed into the grid, and also requires them to compensate you at the same retail price they charge you, up to 100% of the energy you use each year. Many leading states have a much higher installed capacity of Net Metered solar compared to Washington at this point, and we have learned there is no economic or technical negative consequence to utilities in these situations.
Some utilities oppose net metering based on fear, ignorance and greed, but there is no impartial data to back up their opposition – only industry studies. For this reason, the Washington state legislature currently has a “Value of Solar” study planned as a budget line item in the current budget proposal. An unbiased study agreed to by a broad group of stakeholders including consumer protection advocates, will provide data to protect against unfounded claims of harm by the utility industry. We look forward to seeing the results of the Value of Solar study, but be aware that the process may also be vulnerable to being manipulated. There is no better time to install solar at your home than now while we are certain we have good rules in place to protect your right to install solar and use our grid to your best advantage.
19.6 KW Sunpower Array, Poulsbo Residence, PSE Grid