Comments on: California rooftop solar installations drop 80% following NEM 3.0

By: Jeff Miller

Jeff Miller — Sat, 06 Jan 2024 03:24:35 +0000

In reply to Jubal. I’m not sure that Solar runs on pixie dust, but I am sure that most of the panels are produced by child and (effectively) slave labor. The math in Jaxon’s reply post employs pixie dust: Solar is self-supporting when completely off-grid, otherwise users depend on the grid (other utility customers) to subsidize their production shortfall.

By: James

James — Thu, 04 Jan 2024 14:31:55 +0000

For those who live in windy areas – beach and desert cities – small boat sized windmills can be added (unless red tape says they can’t) to the roof which generate during stormy periods. They are 3 times the cost of panels. But combined with larger batteries and disconnecting the fridge and using ice during cloudy weeks if there are no windmills, cutting the utility cord and being 100% off grid is feasible in sunny CA. Perhaps after getting more panels as well. Fight back by not being a customer.

By: Fasoli David

Fasoli David — Thu, 04 Jan 2024 04:37:44 +0000

In reply to Backcountry164. Utilities need to pay residential solar producers at least as much or more than they “pay” for supplemental power purchased from other regions…the other power source they have with no underlying investment. That said there can legitimately be a charge for the connection to the grid….leveraging the utilities as a virtual battery. Finally there should be no charge for those not connected to the grid at all.

By: Michael Butler

Michael Butler — Thu, 04 Jan 2024 04:33:08 +0000

Solar has turned into a racket in California, and that ‘model’ is being copied elsewhere. The utilities are quasi- government entities receiving corporate welfare they call NEM 3.0. Privatize the profits and socialize the losses. Solar is cost prohibitive to begin with and now this makes solar a non-starter. It’s done thanks to these criminal cartels masquerading as so called ‘regulators’. Worthless crooks destroy everything that is positive. They’re not going to like the end result they’ve manufactured.

By: Jaxon

Jaxon — Sat, 30 Dec 2023 02:38:00 +0000

In reply to Backcountry164. If I'm not using the major utility, why should I be paying them?

By: Jaxon

Jaxon — Sat, 30 Dec 2023 02:36:58 +0000

In reply to John Bannen. This isn't about EVs. It's about residential solar systems.

By: Jaxon

Jaxon — Sat, 30 Dec 2023 02:36:10 +0000

In reply to Jubal. You're missing the point. It's not feasible that if a person produces 20kwh of solar, utilities will act as if they've only produced 15 and then charge them for the other 5.. Solar can pay for itself perfectly fine, but it can't subsidize those not on it.

By: Darrel Moon

Darrel Moon — Mon, 04 Dec 2023 21:30:47 +0000

In reply to Backcountry164.

The for profit model has made America’s medical system the worst in the Western world and the for profit electric utility will do the same for our power needs. Failure to care for our society in order to make money will be the downfall of the USA…….

By: Antonio Cervantes

Antonio Cervantes — Mon, 04 Dec 2023 12:00:44 +0000

Personally I feel the CPUC should all be fired, as they clearly are oblivious about what is right for California and the people residing in California. My personal opinion is they are being payed off by the big utilities to make policies that benefit the big utilities.

By: Steve Nordquist

Steve Nordquist — Sun, 03 Dec 2023 05:39:38 +0000

Can one not install solar and batteries yet never take the NEM 3.0 dunnage because oops, all microgrids? Then profit (or net 0 with a normal, small sort of tie-in fee and disused equipment to clear of wildlife.)

By: Hermin

Hermin — Sun, 03 Dec 2023 02:59:42 +0000

CPUC and PGE are basically two scam organizations.

PG&E life cycle:
Cause fires by your negligence, get sued by people affected, turn to CPUC to increase rates, and then pass those costs to the customers.

Wash, rinse, repeat

By: Richard C DeWalt

Richard C DeWalt — Sat, 02 Dec 2023 21:12:23 +0000

I was trying to scramble and get in prior to 2.0 and wasn’t able to make it happen – everyone was trying to do the same. Nobody I know including myself tried to scramble before 3.0 – we basically abandoned our solar aspirations at that point, there is no benefit or margins left in it at that point.

By: Honest Dave

Honest Dave — Sat, 02 Dec 2023 17:36:51 +0000

NEM 3 is a disaster. Hold Gov. Newsom and CPUC responsible for this blatant scam to. promote corrupt PG&E over the people of California and the environment. Call the governor and the CPUC and tell them how terrible their actions are for us, the people and voters of California.

By: Jesse Delaney

Jesse Delaney — Sat, 02 Dec 2023 16:47:24 +0000

This is what happens to “created markets”. Someone can “uncreate” them. Grid connected solar has never really been economically viable without “governmental/political” force of some kind and other than subsidizing homeowners and solar contractors, there’s really no benefit to society at large. (Or the Planet, if that’s your fantasy motivator). Off grid solar, by contrast, has always performed a valuable, market driven function and is therefore, solvent. My first solar energy system sale was in 1978, a pool heating system and my latest was an off grid battery system, last week.

By: Backcountry164

Backcountry164 — Sat, 02 Dec 2023 16:05:00 +0000

If “major” utilities aren’t making a profit there will be no utilities. People understand this right??

By: Kyle Moore

Kyle Moore — Sat, 02 Dec 2023 15:42:44 +0000

I’ve worked in the solar industry for 10 years, making a decent living to help support my family. I’m on my way out now, though, because after the NEM 3.0 change last year, my income has dropped by 30%. The CPUC is directly responsible for killing my job.

By: Jubal

Jubal — Sat, 02 Dec 2023 14:17:38 +0000

Ònce again, when solar is forced to pay its own way, it can’t do it. Solr does not run on the sun, it runs on happy thoughts, pixie dust, and subsidies.

By: Michael Buratti

Michael Buratti — Fri, 01 Dec 2023 22:55:03 +0000

Large utilities do not have the absolute right to remain in business insuring control via monopolies.
This monopoly is being used to squeeze out any competition insuring their own income and profitability at the expense of the people in their service area.
A monopoly is socialistic or even possibly communistic in nature verses a free market style where the best supplier of goods and services rises to the top.
A good option for the production of energy is an energy cooperative where the customers of the service area are considered as owners and have a vote on the way that the utility proceeds and does business.
I think that KIUC (Kauai Island Utility Co-op) is doing a good job and is responsive to the people of Kauai.
It may be a good model for the people of California (and the rest of the Nation) to look at and possibly implement in which ever way suits the people in that service area best. I think this type of system is much more likely to embrace new technology, flexibility and the interests of the people in their service area rather than the old monopoly systems that are primarily concerned with maintaining control in order to line their own pockets.

By: John Bannen

John Bannen — Fri, 01 Dec 2023 19:03:34 +0000

The EV market is doing fine. It is false news that EV sales have fallen. American manufacturers have to reduce their fast charging time to 20%to80% in less than 20 minutes. Kia doubled their EV6 sales because Americans want fast charging times and not the junk USA EV makers put out. Shameful!

By: John Bannen

John Bannen — Fri, 01 Dec 2023 19:00:02 +0000

This is horrible and needs to be canceled immediately. Where are you Governor Newsom?