A bill — that many argue will curtail the installation of solar and wind power devices — raises the issue between consumer demands and business realities.
Signed into law by Gov. Eric Holcomb last week, Senate Bill 309 over time reduces the payback through net metering received by those with solar panels and/or wind turbines.
Net metering was implemented initially to encourage investment in renewable energy. However, as the cost of solar panels and wind turbines dropped, utility companies argue that other consumers on the grid are subsidizing the paybacks.
In addition, some companies claimed that while the net metering system supported renewable energy on a small scale, it worked against the major providers who are trying to invest in renewable sources on a grand scale so that they can become less dependent on controversial sources of energy, such as coal.
“Adding renewables is just the right thing to do and we’ll continue to add renewables as they become affordable and sustainable,” Wabash Valley Power spokeswoman Lisa Richardson told Greater Fort Wayne Business Weekly back in December.
This is what we want to see because, at the end of the day, not every resident can afford or has the space to install solar panels and wind turbines to assist with the generation of energy. Most people will be dependent upon the major grids; therefore, the companies supplying power to those grids need to have the capability to invest in renewables while maintaining reasonable rates for consumers.
At the same time, individuals who can afford to install individual renewable options should be incentivized to do so, but not at the cost of other residents.
It is so easy to point fingers and assume that a particular group is against the environment or against big business. In issues such as these, the matter is much more complex.
Everyone who feels passionately about the issue publicly says they support renewable energy but they also want to recoup investments — or even make money.
We hope, going forward, both sides can have a more open view about how they might work together in the coming years so that investment in renewables on multiple levels can continue to grow in a way that is fair to all consumers and providers.