Solar companies and utilities find common ground in New York

In a potential breakthrough in the war between distributed PV and power utilities, three of the largest US solar companies – SolarCity, SunPower and SunEdison – jointly filed a proposal in New York state alongside six investor-owned utilities that points the way to a future both sides can live with.

The 22-page proposal, filed with the New York Public Service Commission, would gradually shift the state away from its current net energy metering (NEM) policy to one that sees solar companies paying more to support grid upkeep and home solar owners receiving less in NEM compensation, all while ensuring the continuation of a healthy distributed PV market.

While the devil will be in the details – to be finalised by the Commission – the proposal suggests the possibility of détente between distributed PV companies, which have relied on NEM for growth, and the utilities, who have argued that NEM at the full retail value shifts grid maintenance costs onto non-solar customers.

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