Seven Solar Fallacies in Idaho

False:

Net metering allows customers plugged into the electrical grid to sell back surplus power for credit. In the case of solar, any power generated over the course of a day that goes unused can become a further benefit. Here are a few incorrect views of net metering: it is costly, it increases electricity prices for non-solar users, and it burdens low-income communities. False, false, and false. According to the Frontier Group for Environment America, “Net metering provides economic benefits to the electric grid, including savings from reduced electricity transmission, avoided capital and capacity investment, reduced financial risks, increased grid resiliency, and avoided environmental compliance costs.” How about the point about increasing electricity costs for non-solar users? Net metering keeps electricity prices low for all customers by reducing the need for new plants, which lowers transmission costs. According to Crossborder Energy, “The benefits of net metering include: avoided energy costs, avoided capacity costs for generation, reduced costs for ancillary services, lower line losses on the transmission and distribution system, reduced investments in facilities, and lower costs for the utility’s purchase of other renewable generation.” And the low-income burden? Nonsense. Based on recent studies, the opposite has been shown to be true. Solar systems reduce energy costs for the power consumer regardless of their income.