Thinking of getting solar panels? California utilities want to slash ‘generous’ subsidies

"PG&E and California’s other major utilities, Southern California Edison and San Diego Gas & Electric, have petitioned state regulators to slash the bill credit they must pay to solar customers by more than half. Not only that, if their proposal is accepted by the Public Utilities Commission, the utilities would be allowed to charge these solar-using homeowners a monthly flat fee — around $70, in PG&E’s case.

As it stands now, the utilities say they’re being forced to subsidize their rooftop solar customers — heavily. The credit these customers receive for their excess power is much higher than the true cost of the electricity. This subsidy effectively shifts some of the cost of operating the utility — everything from power poles to tree-trimming — to the millions of customers who don’t have rooftop solar.

In PG&E’s case, the cost-shift translates into $170 a year in higher bills for non-solar customers, said utility spokeswoman Ari Vanrenen."

Read more here: https://www.sanluisobispo.com/news/california/article250185380.html

Advocates like to brag about how cheap solar has become - but homeowners without panels are asking, "If solar is so cheap, why is my electricity bill so high?" The answer advocates don't want them to hear: including the cost of subsidies and integrating its feeble, intermittent generation with the grid, California solar is exorbitantly expensive - and non-solar customers are picking up the bill.