By Luige del Puerto and Evan Wyloge | azcapitoltimes.com,
At the heart of Arizona’s battle over solar net metering systems is whether utilities can balance solar energy with the cost of maintaining the grid that delivers electricity to all users.
Energy experts say the solution could have political and practical implications for the whole country, as solar generation is expected to soar to 51 gigawatts in 2040 from 4.5 gigawatts in 2011.
Arizona’s significance in the national debate is obvious — it’s one of the top solar markets, second only to California when it comes to installed solar electric capacity.
And although Arizona utility companies argue that the debate is over the narrow issue of rate design for rooftop solar panels, the broader debate could serve as a test case for how a state cultivates — or kills — consumer-generated energy.
If you’d like to discuss energy issues, contact Court Rich, director of Rose Law Group’s Renewable Energy Department at crich@roselawgroup.com
