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NARUC Commissioner Lead: Commissioner Rebecca Wagner (NV PSC)

NARUC Committee: Committee on Energy Resources and the Environment

Project Summary: NARUC is in the last year of a three year cooperative agreement with DOE to take on a project to engage a workgroup of commissioners and staff to explore rate designs, incentive structures, RPS, and other issues that relate to the deployment of solar energy in the United States. NARUC, through this project, is integrated into State and federal level solar initiatives through the DOE’s State Utility Technical Outreach group – a group consisting of representatives from the DOE, state associations such as NARUC and NCSL as well as solar energy advocacy groups. 
 
Activity since February 2011: Grants & Research staff led a webinar on June 30, “Sunny Days for PV: Streamlining Solar Development for the States”, on topics including interconnection, permitting, and application processes.

NARUC continued to promulgate its Frequently Asked Questions guide to feed-in tariffs for State Commissions; a 14 page document covering topics such as RPS vs. FIT, implications for wholesale market, impacts on State and local economy, and the European experience with FITs.

NARUC, with DOE, is continuing the efforts within the National Renewable Energy Labs (NREL) Partnerships focusing on two areas: Feed-in tariff policies and Photovoltaic (PV) Resource Analysis. Eleven State Utility Commissions are involved in the partnership activity, benefiting from tailored analysis by NREL staff of PV resource availability
 

Resources

Process Design and Migration to Web Based Technology 7/28/2011
Jerry Hughes

NARUC/DOE Technical Assistance Partnerships 12/2/2010

Feed-in Tariffs: Frequently Asked Questions for State Utility Commissioners 6/1/2010
There is a growing push in the U.S. to increase renewable energy production in order to build a new green economy and lower carbon emissions. Because of high costs and financing challenges, States are looking for effective policies to drive funding to increase renewable energy, and the feed-in tariff has emerged as a potentially useful tool. This document will explore common questions about feed-in tariffs and the issues faced in particular by State Public Utility Commissions.

Renewable Energy Prices in State-Level Feed-in Tariffs: Federal Law Constraints and Possible Solutions 1/8/2010
Scott Hempling-NRRI; Carolyn Elefant-PC; Karlynn Cory-NREL; Kevin Porter-Exeter Assoc.

Solar Energy Technology and Policy Reference Guide 3/3/2009
This reference guide is a collection of solar energy resources compiled for State regulators and policymakers. The websites, publications, maps, and tables below represent information provided by the federal government, trade associations, and academic institutions. These resources address a wide range of topics pertaining to solar technologies and policies including solar energy potential, interconnections and net-metering standards, renewable portfolio standards, and financial incentive structures.

States Advancing Solar 10/29/2008
Clean Energy Group Initiative
States Advancing Solar is an initiative of Clean Energy Group and the Clean Energy States Alliance, with funding support from the Department of Energy through the Solar America Initiative’s State Solar Technical Outreach Project. This web site serves as a resource and tool kit for states interested in developing or revising a state solar support program. The site offers introductory information on solar energy technologies and the major policies and tools being used by states to support solar. It also highlights successful state solar programs that can be used as models by states looking to develop solar programs. The site provides links to state solar programs across the country and to other organizations and resources concerning solar energy technologies. This link is meant as a means of connecting NARUC members with information made available through the States Advancing Solar project rather than an endorsement of all products developed through the States Advancing Solar project.

Supporting Photovoltaics in Market-Rate Residential New Construction: A Summary of Programmatic Experience to Date and Lessons Learned 10/29/2008
The market for solar photovoltaics (PV) in residential new construction is a promising one, and state policymakers are increasingly targeting this market segment. Most recently, California has proposed a 10-year, $350 million program aimed specifically at stimulating the growth of PV in new residential construction. If adopted, this program would become the world’s largest single effort to stimulate PV in new homes. This study summarizes the efforts of state clean energy funds (and a select number of other state or local organizations) to support PV in market-rate residential new construction. Drawing on these experiences, we identify policy issues and lessons learned that provide guidance to new initiatives that target this particular market segment.

The Impact of Retail Rate Structures on the Economics of Commercial Photovoltaic Systems in California 10/29/2008
Ryan Wiser, Andrew Mills, Galen Barbose, and William Golove
To achieve a sizable and self-sustaining market for grid-connected, customer-sited photovoltaic (PV) systems, solar will likely need to be competitive with retail electricity rates. In this report, we examine the impact of retail rate design on the economic value of commercial PV systems in California. Using 15-minute interval building load and PV production data from 24 actual commercial PV installations, we compare the value of the bill savings across 20 commercial-customer retail rates currently offered in the state. We find that the specifics of the rate structure, combined with the characteristics of the customer’s underlying load and the size of the PV system, can have a substantial impact on the customer-economics of commercial PV systems. THIS ARTICLE IS FROM JULY 2007.

Utility-Interconnected Photovoltaic Systems: Evaluating the Rationale for the Utility-Accessible External Disconnect Switch 10/29/2008
M.H. Coddington, R.M. Margolis, and J. Aabakken
The utility-accessible alternating current (AC) external disconnect switch (EDS) for distributed generators, including photovoltaic (PV) systems, is a hardware feature that allows a utility’s employees to manually disconnect a customer-owned generator from the electricity grid. Proponents of the EDS contend that it is necessary to keep utility line workers safe when they make repairs to the electric distribution system. Opponents assert it is a redundant feature that adds cost without providing tangible benefits. In this paper, we examine the utility-accessible EDS debate in the context of utility- interactive PV systems for residential and small commercial installations. We also evaluate the rationale for EDS requirements. In particular, we focus on the safety, reliability, and cost implications of the EDS.

Weighing the Costs and Benefits of State Renewables Portfolio Standards: A Comparative Analysis of State-Level Policy Impact Projections 10/29/2008
Cliff Chen, Ryan Wiser, and Mark Bolinger
This report synthesizes and analyzes the results and methodologies of 28 distinct state or utilitylevel RPS cost impact analyses completed since 1998. Together, these studies model proposed or adopted RPS policies in 18 different states. We highlight the key findings of these studies on the costs and benefits of state RPS policies, examine the sensitivity of projected costs to model assumptions, assess the attributes of different modeling approaches, and suggest possible areas of improvement for future state RPS analysis. THIS ARTICLE IS FROM MARCH 2007

Solar for Everyone 9/23/2008
Solar energy has a reputation for being expensive and residential PV systems are often considered a technology for the wealthy. However, the times, they are a’ changing. Across the country a number of programs exist to make residential PV systems more affordable to the masses, including low income residents. This webcast will introduce the challenges of installing PV systems in low income residences and a number of ways States are addressing these barriers. Speakers will highlight programs in Connecticut, California, and New Jersey.

Documents and Resources on Underutilized Transmission Rights of Way 4/15/2005
NARUC
A comprehensive document search on underutilized rights of way and space on existing transmission towers. Aspects of this examination include: the role of technology in increasing regional transmission capacity, the ability to add more lines to existing transmission and distribution towers, and the role of energy efficiency in mitigating the need for expanded transmission capability. Documents from Federal, State, and private sources were considered, and links to conferences and other resources are provided.

The Grid Game: Renewable Edition

The Grid Game: Renewable Edition 11/3/2011
NARUC hosted a scenario-based game in October 2011 to explore RPS policy challenges and issues.