It is with great concern that I read Nova Scotia Power attempted to place a surcharge of $8 per kilowatt on household solar installations, who use the solar power and sell excess renewable power back to the grid. This proposal, critics rightfully said would gut the province’s burgeoning solar industry. Thankfully, the Nova Scotia government squashed the proposal for prudent reasons to preserves its green energy objectives.
If this type of fee were proposed by Maritime Electric in P.E.I., it would amount to about $1,200 additional costs a year for our home’s solar installation, which now generates about $1,800 in annual savings and contributes to approximately 500 lbs. reduction of CO2 emissions. If Maritime Electric were to implement such a fee, it would wipe out P.E.I.’s emerging solar industry and extinguish the province’s environmental green energy goals.
Thanks to Environment Minister Steven Myers who already said that such a fee would not be permitted in P.E.I. Having said that, Maritime Electric unilaterally without consultation reduced the allowable private household-built energy systems from 100 KW to 30 KW.
Clarity and transparency from Maritime Electric and the P.E.I. Energy Corporation is needed with the current solar net metering regulations.
When the homeowner undertakes a solar installation, Maritime Electric sends a Net Metering Agreement for signature by the homeowner. The Net Metering Agreement is silent on credits. It just describes the technical requirements, meter specifications, wiring, etc. Nothing in the agreement outlines the fact that Maritime Electric will expire credits at a certain date that may be accumulated by the solar installation. If the Net Metering Agreement is about credits, Maritime Electric should have clear and transparent language in their net metering agreement about how credits are calculated, applied and taken back. The agreement should be more than just an engineering specification.
The P.E.I. Renewable Energy Act has a default date of Oct. 31 when the KW credits expiry. This is at the end of P.E.I.’s excellent summer solar generation months. It is somewhat disingenuous that the government would provide incentives for green energy installations yet permit via the Renewable Energy Act to allow
Maritime Electric to take away the credits on an annual basis. Credits should be allowed to carry over.
Constructive communications with Energy P.E.I. and Maritime Electric officials reveal the Oct. 31 date was established when household windmill energy installations were net metered and October was a date that coincided with the weakest wind months. Discussions with officials reveal amendments to the act are forthcoming.
I respectively request the amendments take into account the following:
Since the “solar” experience is relatively new, and as it evolves, Maritime Electric should provide the government data on how many credits it is taking back and the impact that is making on the customers, (including the company argument it has grid infrastructure energy demand/supply …….