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0 pointsmrguyorama3y ago0 comments

In maine, CMP charges $11 a month for a "connection" to the grid and your first monthly 50kwh. Is that not the case in california or other net metering markets?

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eppp3y ago

$11 doesn't even come close to touching the distribution cost. It is just a way of showing you a slightly lower kWh rate if it is that low.

ihaveajob3y ago

Yes it is, there's a connection fee of approximately $10/month for that same reason. Net metering is a totally unrelated topic. What's being argued about is the rate. Until now, rooftop solar customers get a retail-level payback for excess production sent to the grid. Under the proposal, this payback would be at the wholesale price, which is significantly lower.

jrochkind13y ago

You can still totally offset your own actual consumption at retail rate, but any negative over your actual consumption for the month, you only get paid cash at wholesale rate?

Without knowing anything about this or any context... that does not seem unreasonable to me.

Note that OP didn't even require net negative at all to have it still totally be a great investment. He only offest a portion of his actual usage. So net negative paid only at wholesale rate seems like it should still be functional economically and leave plenty of incentive. Wouldn't have effected OP at all, for those who do go net negative and it effects, it seems like it shouldn't tip the scales.

dahfizz3y ago

> You can still totally offset your own actual consumption at retail rate

AFAIK, most home solar is not set up this way. You don't use the energy from your solar panels. The solar panels feed directly into the grid, and your usage comes directly out of the grid.

So if you use 100kwh, and generate 100kwh, then you will pay 100kwh at retail rate, and receive 100kwh at wholesale rate.

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HDThoreaun3y ago

$11 a month is nowhere close to the grid upkeep cost.

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