Net Metering and Interconnection Standards

Transcription

1 Alabama Alaska American Samoa Arizona Arkansas California Legislation has passed eliminating the requirement for liability insurance for individuals selling solar energy back to the grid Relieves utilities of the responsibility of maintaining a customer-owned or operated electrical facility (Act , Alternative and Renewable Energy Act) Net metering rules approved by the Regulatory Commission of Alaska - The rules must be finalized by an order and signed by the lieutenant governor Utilities with retail sales of less than 5,000,000 kilowatt-hours (kwh) exempt from offering net metering; - Renewable energy systems with a capacity up to 25 kilowatts (kw) eligible; and - Overall enrollment is limited to 1.5% of a utility s retail sales from the previous year Net metering and interconnection standards provide credits for electricity a resident produces through renewable energy generators (solar or wind), exceeding their monthly usage; the excess can be carried over as kilowatt hour credits until the end of the calendar year. Net metering is available to residential and small commercial customers with wind or solar-energy systems up to 30 kilowatts (kw) in capacity (ASAC 12.06) Three utilities have interconnection standards for distributed generation; Arizona Corporation Commission has initiated a rulemaking process to establish interconnection standards for distributed generation for investor owned and operated utilities and is also developing net metering rules pursuant to the Renewable Energy Standard; APS is conducting a 3-year pilot net metering program for systems that generate up to 100 kw from solar, wind, or biomass (capped at 15 MW) Facilities producing electricity using solar, wind, hydro, geothermal and biomass resources are eligible to interconnect and net meter; microturbines and fuel cells using renewable resources are also eligible; currently, net metering is available to residential systems up to 25 kw in capacity and nonresidential systems up to 300 kw; net-metered customers own Renewable Energy Credits (RECs) Rule 21 specifies standard interconnection, operating and metering requirements for distributed generation systems up to 10 MW in capacity, including renewables, with separate simplified rules for small renewables under 10 kw; utilities are required to offer net metering to all customers for solar and wind-energy systems up to 1 MW, and investor owned-utilities are required to offer net metering for biogas-electric systems and fuel cells; The feed-in tariff allows eligible customer-generators to enter into 10-, 15-, or 20-year standard contracts with their utilities to sell the electricity produced by small renewable energy systems up to 1.5 megawatt (MW) at time-differentiated market-based prices Public Utilities Commission required to determine the requirements for a smart grid deployment plan consistent with the policies set forth in federal law Each electrical corporation required to develop and submit a smart grid deployment plan to the Commission Page 1 of 9

2 Colorado Connecticut Delaware Florida Georgia IOUs - Systems up to 2 MW in capacity that generate electricity using qualifying renewable-energy resources are eligible for net metering; interconnection rules are based on the FERC interconnection standards for small generators (three levels of interconnection standards) Requires municipal utilities with more than 5,000 customers and all cooperative utilities to offer net-metering (HB 1160) Residential systems up to 10 kw in capacity and commercial and industrial systems up to 25 kw to be credited monthly at the retail rate for any net excess generation their systems produce; and Co-ops and municipal utilities are authorized to exceed these minimum size standards Amended the net metering rules for investor-owned utilities as they apply to solar electric systems (SB 51) Changes include shifting the maximum system size for solar electric systems from 2 MW to 120% of the annual consumption of the site; Redefines a site to include all contiguous property owned by the consumer; and Allows system owners to make a one-time election in writing to have their annual net excess generation carried forward as a credit from month to month indefinitely, rather than being paid annually at the average hourly incremental cost for that year Interconnection guidelines for distributed energy systems up to 20 MW in capacity; net metering is required for customers that generate electricity using Class I renewable-energy resources, which include solar, wind, landfill gas, fuel cells, sustainable biomass, ocean-thermal power, wave or tidal power, lowemission advanced renewable-energy conversion technologies, and hydropower facilities up to 2 MW in capacity; net metering is also available for distributed generation units that operate on fossil fuels up to 50 MW and on other renewables up to 500 MW Delaware s only investor-owned utility has six categories of interconnection guidelines based on system size, system type (inverter-based or rotating), and energy source (renewable or non-renewable); residential renewable-energy systems 25 kw or less, non-residential customers of DP&L that are 2 MW or less, and non-residential customers of DEC and municipal utilities that are 500 kw or less are eligible for net metering Extended net metering to facilities of 100 MW (or more on a case-by-case basis), gave ownership of the renewable energy credits to the customers-generators allowing them to request payment for all excess electricity generated at the end of the calendar year and expanded the program capacity limit from 1% to 5% of peak load (CDR ) Three tiers of interconnection standards and net metering for up to 2 MW of capacity; customer net excess generation (NEG) is carried forward at the utility s retail rate (i.e., as a kilowatt-hour credit) to a customer s next bill for up to 12 months at which point, the utility pays the customer for any remaining NEG at the utility s avoided-cost rate while renewable energy credits (RECs) remain with system owner, and customers may sell RECs back to the utility; there is no stated aggregate capacity limit for netmetered systems Interconnection standards are set for up to 10 kw (residential), 100 kw (commercial) with a limit on capacity of 0.2% of utility s peak load for previous year; customers are given a choice of net metering options Page 2 of 9

3 Guam Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas In 2003, Guam enacted legislation requiring the Guam Power Authority (GPA) to allow net metering for customers with fuel cells, microturbines, wind energy, biomass, hydroelectric, solar energy or hybrid systems of these renewable energy technologies; the eligible size for net-metered systems is limited to 25 kilowatts (kw) Simplified interconnection procedures for net metering are available for solar, wind, biomass and hydroelectric systems up to 50 kw in capacity on Kauai and 100 kw in capacity on the other islands; net metering is available on a first-come, first-served basis to residential and small commercial customers (including government entities) that generate electricity using solar, wind, biomass or hydroelectric systems; the PUC is considering a new docket to expand net metering across the state Each of the state s three investor-owned utilities has developed a net-metering tariff that has been approved by the Idaho Public Utilities Commission Net metering is available to electric customers that generate up to 2 MW of electricity using solar energy, wind energy, biomass energy and hydropower, and fuel cells and microturbines powered by renewable fuels; in the rulemaking process for interconnection standards for all distributed generation up to 10 MW Three levels of interconnection standards; investor-owned utilities are required to offer net metering to residential customers and K-12 schools for solar, wind and hydroelectric projects with a maximum capacity of 10 kw Utilities are required to offer net metering to customers who generate their own electricity from renewable sources and buy back the surplus electricity of the renewable energy producers (SB 300) There is no explicit net metering statute; however, net metering is required under an Iowa Utilities Board sub-rule under which net metering is available to all customer classes of Iowa s two investor-owned utilities who generate electricity using alternate energy production facilities (with an unofficial individual limit of 500 kw); new rules for interconnection standards approved by the Iowa Utilities Board Customers of investor-owned utilities can use net metering to offset up to 25 kw for residential systems and up to 200 kw for non-residential systems (HB 2369) If the customer produces net excess generation during a one-month period, that amount is carried over to the next month at full retail value until it is absorbed by the utility at the end of the calendar year Customers are not subject to any additional charges for the service and are provided with a bi-directional meter at no cost Utilities must offer net metering up to one percent of their peak demand during the previous year Page 3 of 9

4 Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Legislation enacted in 2008 expands the state s net metering laws by raising the cumulative cap that a utility needs to allow from 0.1% of load to 1% of load, adding power from wind, water and other renewables to the solar allowable systems, and requiring the development of standardized rules for interconnecting Small generators (up to 30kW) of wind energy, hydroelectric power and biomass or bio-gas power were included in the already existing net metering policies for solar The Kentucky Public Service Commission issued an order establishing interconnection and net metering guidelines applicable to all jurisdictional electric utilities in the state (KY PSC Order ) Utilities were required to file net metering tariffs and application forms to comply with these guidelines Net metering provisions: a statewide 25 kw maximum allowed for residential, 100 kw maximum for commercial and agricultural; all utilities must participate for renewable energy only; credits roll over to the next billing cycle if supply exceeds demand for the current cycle Net metering is available for owners of qualified cogeneration and small power-production facilities with a maximum capacity of 100 kw Expanded net metering to increase eligible project types, including cogeneration, and capacity to 660 MW (LD 336) Established community-based renewable energy pilot program and allows for 1.5 credit multiplier for community projects Final state model wind ordinance released Establishing local guidelines for solar placement Interconnection standards for all eligible systems up to 2 MW; systems owned or leased by residents, businesses, schools or government entities that generate electricity using solar, wind or biomass resources are eligible for net metering until the aggregate capacity of all net-metered systems reaches 1,500 MW; developing interconnection standards for all distributed generation Extended net metering policies to micro-combined heat and power systems and third-party ownership structures (HB 1057, SB 981) Extended net metering to qualifying fuel cell electricity generation equipment, effective October 2010 (HB 821) Revised how customer-generators are compensated for net excess generation (NEG) (HB 801) Requires NEG to be carried forward from month to month as a monetary credit whose value is determined by the prevailing market price Customer-generators may also receive payment for NEG remaining at the end of a 12 month period Maryland Public Service Commission (PSC) developing regulations to implement the revision, including a method for determining the value of NEG credits PSC to convene a working group to address time differentiated crediting, as well as meter aggregation and credit transfers for agricultural, non-profit, and governmental customer-generators Page 4 of 9

5 Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Missouri Montana Nebraska Interconnection standards apply to all forms of distributed generation, including renewables, and to all customers of the state s four investor-owned utilities; the state s investor-owned utilities must offer net metering for renewable-energy systems and combined-heat-and-power facilities with a generating capacity up to 60 kw; pending legislation on net metering will increase the current net metering provision to 2 MW, primarily for solar and wind generation Five levels of interconnection standards for distributed generation; offers voluntary statewide netmetering program for systems that generate electricity using solar, wind, geothermal, biomass (including waste-to-energy and landfill gas) or hydropower up to 30 kw wide net metering adopted for all systems up to 20kW (Act 295) Modified net metering for systems between 20 and 150kW (PSC Order, Docket U-15787) Qualifying facilities up to 40 kw are eligible for net metering - there is no statewide capacity limit for net metering; the PUC adopted an order establishing generic standards for utility tariffs for interconnection and the operation of distributed-generation facilities up to 10 MW in capacity; Community-Based Energy Development (C-BED) Tariff requires each public utility in Minnesota to file with the state Public Utilities Commission to create a 20-year power purchase agreement for communityowned renewable energy projects - utilities are required to consider C-BED projects, but they are not required to sign C-BED contracts Requires all of the state s electric utilities including municipal utilities and electric cooperatives to offer net metering to customers with systems up to 100 kw in capacity that generate electricity using wind energy, solar-thermal energy, hydroelectric energy, photovoltaics, fuel cells using hydrogen produced by any of these resources, and other sources of energy certified as renewable by the Missouri Department of Natural Resources; customers may apply for interconnection up to 100 kw or 5% of a utility s single-hour peak load during the previous year Net metering applies to systems up to 50 kw in capacity that generate electricity using hydropower, wind or solar energy (not applicable to all utilities) Electricity generating facilities using renewable energy sources at a capacity below 25 kw are eligible for net metering services (LB 436) Excess generation is carried forward to the next billing period and paid out at a rate equal to the local distribution utility s avoided cost of electric supply over the billing period to the customer at the year s end Utilities must offer net metering up to one percent of their average monthly peak demand Encourages private developers to develop, own, and operate renewable energy facilities for the export of wind energy from the state (LB 1048) Creates a Power Review Board (PRB) approval process, provides an exemption to public power s use of eminent domain Provides a new method for taxing wind generation facilities by creating an alternative to the current five-year depreciation of personal property schedule Creates a procedure requiring the county treasurer to distribute revenue received under this act to local taxing entities that would have received the personal property tax revenue that is currently collected Page 5 of 9

6 Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Interconnection standards for customers of Nevada Power and Sierra Pacific Power with on-site generation up to 20 MW in capacity; systems up to 1 MW in capacity that generate electricity using solar, wind, geothermal, biomass and certain types of hydropower are generally eligible, although systems greater than 100 kw in capacity may be subject to certain costs at the utility s discretion All electric utilities are required to provide, upon request, net metering to customers who generate electricity using renewable-energy systems with a maximum capacity of 100 kw; the aggregate limit on net-metered systems is 1% of each utility s annual peak load; provides interconnection rules for netmetered systems Requires electric distribution companies to offer net metering to residential and small commercial customers with photovoltaic and wind-energy systems potentially caps statewide net-metering system capacity at 0.1% of New Jersey s peak electricity demand, or at an annual statewide financial impact to electric power suppliers and basic generation service providers of $2 million; provides three levels of interconnection standards Interconnection standards and net metering is available to qualifying facilities under PURPA, which generally includes all renewable-energy systems and combined-heat-and-power systems up to 80 MW in capacity (excludes municipal utilities) Interconnection standards for distributed generation systems up to 2 MW; net metering up to 10 kw for solar, 25 kw for residential wind, 125 kw for farm-based wind, 400 kw for farm-based biogas The following changes were made to the net metering limits: up to 25 kw for residential solar, 2 MW for non-residential solar, 25 kw for residential wind, 500 kw for farm-based wind, 2 MW nonresidential wind, 500 kw for farm-based biogas, 10kW for micro-combined heat and power (micro- CHP) and fuel cells, with excess generation over the billing period bought back at avoided cost rate rather than retail rate Requires simplified interconnection standards for small distributed generation (DG) for renewable-energy systems and other forms of DG up to 20 kw in capacity for residential systems and 100 kw for nonresidential systems; investor-owned utilities are required to make net metering available to customers that own and operate systems that generate electricity using photovoltaics (solar-electric energy), wind or biomass resources, or micro-hydro systems A North Carolina Utilities Commission (NCUC) order raised the system capacity to 1MW and specified that the utility owns the RECs unless the customer-generator chooses to net meter under an unfavorable demand tariff Net-metering rules apply both to renewable-energy generators and cogenerators (combined-heat-andpower systems) up to 100 kilowatts (kw) in capacity Maintains three levels of interconnection standards for distributed generation up to 20 MW; net-metering law requires electric distribution utilities and competitive retail electric service providers to offer net metering to customers who generate electricity using wind energy, solar energy, biomass, landfill gas, hydropower, fuel cells or microturbines Requires investor-owned utilities and electric cooperatives under the commission s jurisdiction to file netmetering tariffs for customer-owned renewable-energy systems and combined-heat-and-power (CHP) facilities up to 100 kw in capacity Page 6 of 9

7 Oregon Pennsylvania Puerto Rico Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Oregon has established separate net-metering requirements and interconnection standards for its primary investor-owned utilities (three levels of interconnection standards from 25 kw to 2 MW), and for its municipal utilities and electric cooperatives (must offer net metering up to 0.5% of a utility s historic single-hour peak load) Interconnection standards for net-metered systems and other forms of distributed generation; investorowned utilities must offer net metering to residential customers that generate electricity with systems up to 50 kw in capacity, nonresidential customers with systems up to 3 MW in capacity, and customers with systems greater than 3 MW but no more than 5 MW who make their systems available to the grid during emergencies, or where a microgrid is in place in order to maintain critical infrastructure The law establishes a net metering program that limits residential clients to 25 kw and commercial, industrial, educational institutions, hospitals, agricultural operations to 1 MW; compensation is as follows: at the closing of the June billing period in each year, any accumulation of credits per kwh by clients will be compensated at the rate of 10 cents per kwh; however, only 75% of the accumulated credit will be paid to clients, and the rest will be used as a credit for the Department of Education Interconnection of distributed generation equipment should be in compliance with the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority (PREPA) Regulation for the Interconnection of Generators to the Electric Distribution System Based on requirements established on IEEE 1547 (Standard for Interconnecting Distributed Resources with Electric Power Systems) Requires the state s primary investor-owned utility to offer net metering to all customers generating electricity using renewable-energy systems with a maximum capacity of 1.65 MW for renewable-energy systems owned by cities, towns or the Narragansett Bay Commission, and 1 MW for systems owned by other customers; the limit on the aggregate capacity of all net-metered systems is 5 MW Gives regular customers the option of receiving compensation in the form of a monthly check or as credited to the following bill Allows for bill aggregation (up to 10 bills) by cities, towns, farms, non-profit affordable housing or the NBC Provides a simplified interconnection standard for small distributed generation (DG) for renewableenergy systems and other forms of DG up to 20 kw in capacity for residential systems, and up to 100 kw in capacity for non-residential systems Public Service Commission issued a directive to standardize the net metering procedures for the three investor-owned utilities The South Dakota Public Utilities Commission is in the final stages of completing standardized interconnection standards (will be completed in August 2008); Adopted interconnection standards Page 7 of 9

8 Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia At the present time, TVA encourages the development of consumer generation systems that use renewable resources through a demonstration project called Green Power Switch Generation Partners; TVA pays participating consumers for the energy generated by solar photovoltaic or wind turbine sources, up to 50 kw; the project uses a dual-metering arrangement, and TVA pays for all the energy generated by the consumer; this payment is made in the form of a credit on the customer s utility bill of 15 cents per kwh generated for non-demand metered customers and 20 cents per kwh generated for demand-metered customers; TVA reimburses the distributor for the total amount of the credit given to the customer Authorized the creation of non-profit generation and transmission cooperatives to supply electric power and energy services Interconnection standards and net metering is provided to electrical generating facilities (consisting of one or more on-site distributed-generation units) located at a customer s point of delivery, with a maximum capacity of 10 MW and connected at a voltage less than 60 kv; the total capacity of a facility s individual on-site distributed generation units may exceed 10 MW Requires all investor-owned utilities and most electric cooperatives to offer net metering to customers that generate electricity using solar, wind, hydropower, hydrogen, biomass, landfill gas or geothermal energy for residential systems up to 25 kw in capacity and non-residential systems up to 2 MW Extended net metering benefit to allow development and installation of renewable energy sources by third parties on behalf of non-profits and public entities to sell excess power to public utilities Energy Program directed to assess the need for model solar and geothermal ordinances at the local government level Local governments also urged to adopt a model ordinance for wind energy projects Requires separate interconnection standards for net-metered energy systems and for distributedgeneration systems that are not net metered; requires electric utilities to offer net metering to all customers with photovoltaic systems, wind-energy systems, fuel cells or biomass-energy systems until the cumulative generating capacity of net-metered systems equals 1% of a utility s peak demand - the maximum system capacity is 15 kw for most net-metered systems and 150 kw for farm-based systems Net metering is available on a first-come, first-served basis until the rated generating capacity owned and operated by customer-generators in Virginia reaches 1% of each electric distribution company s peak load for the previous year - this includes residential systems up to 10 kw and commercial systems of up to 500 kw; customer-generators must notify the electric distribution company and the energy service provider prior to interconnecting Utilities may approve a higher capacity limit at their discretion; renewable energy certificates (RECs) are owned by the customer-generators The customer-generator has a one-time option to sell RECs to the utility upon entering into the power purchasing agreement Excess electricity produced can be sold under a voluntary agreement at any time Virginia provides a permit-by-rule for renewable projects less than 100 MW in size (20 MW for biomass and waste to energy) and exempts such projects from Corporation Commission approval Page 8 of 9

9 Virgin Islands Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming The Islands utility allows up to 15 MW (11%) PV and wind systems to net meter up to 10 kw Raised the capacity limits to 20 kw for residential systems, 100 kw for commercial systems, and 200 kw for public systems Interconnection standards provide for two separate levels of interconnection based on system capacity: the first level applies to systems up to 300 kw, and the second level, which applies to systems greater than 300 kw but not greater than 20 MW, embraces the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission s (FERC) interconnection standards; net metering applies to systems up to 100 kw in capacity that generate electricity using solar, wind, hydro, biogas from animal waste, or combined heat and power technologies (including fuel cells) - all customer classes are eligible, and all utilities - including municipal utilities and electric cooperatives - must offer net metering Provides net metering to residential and commercial systems up to 25 kw in capacity that generate electricity using photovoltaics, wind, biomass, landfill gas, hydropower or fuel cells The West Virginia Public Service Commission (WVPSC) is considering raising the net metering limit to 500kW for commercial and 2MW for industrial, rules are expected July 2010 (HB 103) The same legislation suggested WVPSC require utilities to provide a rebate or discount at fair value for any excess generation from customer-generators Interconnection standards for distributed generation systems up to 15 MW in capacity; requires all regulated utilities to file tariffs allowing net metering to customers that generate electricity with DG systems up to 20 kw in capacity Wyoming s net-metering law includes basic interconnection requirements for systems up to 25 kw in capacity that generate electricity using solar, wind, hydropower or biomass resources; a statewide interconnection policy is in place Page 9 of 9