Californian Government Intensifies Attack on Renewables (Solar)

Solar Energy / Economics

Date posted: 01/02/16

Eric Worrall blogs that the WUWT blog recently reported how California had abandoned rooftop solar, by excluding them from generous renewable credit schemes. California has now intensified its attack on renewable energy consumers, by increasing fees for customers who switch to renewable energy schemes. The California Public Utilities Commission voted Thursday to allow a nearly 100 percent price increase on exit fees for customers leaving Pacific Gas and Electric Co. for green energy programs like CleanPowerSF and Marin Clean Energy, which will make those and similar programs more expensive. Many of the programs, where local governments buy green electricity for their residents, while private utilities own and operate the electrical grid, will be undermined financially by the uptick in the charge, called the Power Charge Indifference Adjustment, their officials say. Under the increase, which is effective Jan. 1, customers making the switch to local green energy programs will face a higher exit fee. Marin Clean Energy customers are projected to pay more than $36 million, up from $19.3 million in 2015. The cost for each residential customer would nearly double from about $6.70 each month to $13. In any event, California continues to talk the talk on green energy, but as the true cost of their solar adventure hits home, the Californian government appears to be slowly ratcheting up the costs, and slashing the benefits, for ordinary consumers who join the Governor Jerry Brown environmental crusade.