virginia net metering laws

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Why am I receiving an electric bill? No. Net Metering is a rate that allows members to operate renewable generators, such as solar panels, wind turbines, hydroelectric, biomass, or geothermal power systems in order to produce some or all of their energy needs. In each instance, the installation may not be sized to generate more than the total annual energy consumed at that location.Can I install a renewable generator without notifying REC? Your bill will only show the difference between the energy generated at your site and the energy consumed from REC's distribution system; hence, the term Net Metering. The solar contractor that you choose will own and operate the system, and gain all available incentives, tax credits and rebates. As an alternative to a PPA, by default, excess kilowatt-hour (kWh) credits are deducted from the current month's usage. First time users can register there. If we just increased the cap on net-metering with the current rate structure, it would not be sustainable. Choosing to go solar is an investment, and by using some online resources and tools you can estimate some of the costs and benefits associated with solar energy. Kauai Island CEO: Direct-Pay Incentives Will Lower Cost of Energy Innovation, Arizona Co-op Lineworker Rescues Baby Hawks From Nest on Power Pole, Along Those Lines: Co-ops Play Leading Role in Community Revitalization, Virginia, Maryland, and Delaware Association of Electric Cooperatives, 2022 National Rural Electric Cooperative Association. A. However, in a few cases, system distribution improvements may be necessary for interconnection to the utility. A landmark agreement among solar energy developers, environmental advocates and electric cooperatives in Virginia will make way for greater net-metering of renewable energy at a fair cost to all. REC charges an interconnection inspection fee of $50, which is payable at the time of inspection.What size of a renewable generator am I allowed for Net Metering? When a member's renewable generator produces more electricity than is being used, the excess energy flows onto the utility lines and the meter registers a usage credit. REC can only advise members of how much electricity they receive through REC and how much electricity they put back onto the power grid.

When a member's usage exceeds their generation output, the meter will run forward as normal. (540) 898-8500Directions, CULPEPER OFFICE In Virginia, for residential net metering applications, the maximum generator size is 20 kW. Residential applications up to 20 kW Nameplate AC Ground-mounted solar may be a good option for you if your property has large open spaces where solar panels can be installed. A few co-ops are up against the cap in Virginia, including BARC Electric Cooperative in Millboro, said Michael Keyser, its CEO and one of the lead participants in a three-year effort to craft a compromise bill. Every kilowatt-hour you generate is a kilowatt-hour you do not have to purchase. Rooftop solar is the most common installation setup for residential and commercial solar energy developments, so assessing your roof can give you a good idea of what solar installation you can expect. Agricultural Aggregate Net Metering applications up to 500kW Nameplate AC. If you generate more electricity than is needed for your home or business in a given month, the excess amount is carried to the next billing period as kWh credit, which reduces the number of kWh billed in the following month. By Virginia law, the size of net metering systems cannot be more than what a member consumes in the previous twelve months, so there is a low likelihood that a net metering system will produce significant excess electricity. No, REC does not have access to your solar panels performance or production data. It is important to note that these resources provide only estimates, and interacting with a solar contractor will provide more detailed estimations that address your concerns. Across the country, homeowners, businesses and governments are investing in solar technologies as a climate-friendly and increasingly affordable solution to transition to clean energy. How do I access information about my account online? 7 a.m. - 7 p.m., Monday-Friday Culpeper, Virginia 22701 Can I see the total generation stated on my bill? The Contact Center, available Monday-Friday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., can be reached at 1-800-552-3904. Typically, solar loans are paid off in 10 to 15 years depending on the term length you agree to. 14380 Fredericksburg Turnpike 13252 Cedar Run Church Road We heard from a lot of members that folks are looking to expand, to buy electric vehicles, and they want to put on more solar, said Andrew Vehorn, director of government affairs at Virginia, Maryland, and Delaware Association of Electric Cooperatives based in Glen Allen, Virginia. The new demand charge lets co-ops recoup any remaining fixed costs associated with operating and maintaining the distribution system as well as fixed generation costs. neutral carbon fools chesapeakeclimate

No member services representatives are currently available. Please visit our. You will also see a credit of kWh (banked usage) which will carry forward to your next bill. The installer and your local building inspector should work together to make sure the system is installed correctly to protect you and your home, and the REC inspector will check to make sure the connection is safe for REC. (540) 825-8373Directions, BOWLING GREEN OFFICE If youre interested in avoiding upfront, installation and maintenance costs of a solar system, a solar lease may be a good fit for you. The net difference in energy consumed and excess energy is the basis for volumetric charges applied to the member's monthly bill. The solar industry now employs more Americans than the coal industry, and the price of solar panels has dropped a whopping 75 percent in the last five years alone. gNlxe&;e7p3b9\.Mh"luw%V7==;$V:q I9} uW_~r1cjYGNg. If you have questions about PPAs or monthly bill kWh credits, please reach out to us at RECnetmeter@myrec.coop. Any discrepancies members may find between the information from their solar energy system and what REC is advising will need to be addressed with their contractor. They can overproduce and grow into it. Once REC pays the PPA's excess generation, the credits are set to zero. greater than 10 years) the monthly payments of the loan are often less than what your electricity bill would be. Have a question for our staff? The ITC will be reduced to 22% for projects that begin construction in 2023. When large numbers of homeowners install distributed generation, co-ops can be forced to raise rates to cover their operational costs. As your solar panels produce electricity, that energy is first used to supply your own energy needs. Yet Virginia law restricts residential customers from net-metering with solar systems greater than 20 kilowatts, while placing acap on non-residential customers. See below for the available NEM Capacity Available:As of June 2022: House uses 1500 kWh Renewable Generator produces 1000 kWh = REC will bill the member 500 kWh for that month. It is important to consult with your contractor about financing options, as some provide unique benefits and rates compared with others. If your bill contains a volume-based charge, then your system did not produce more energy than was needed during that billing period. RECs meters record the amount of kWh consumed in excess of your generation (Forward), the amount of kWh generated in excess of your consumption (Reverse), and the NET total.

Sign up for our weekly newsletter today. If the renewable generator produces more energy than is used at the residence or commercial site, a credit rolls over to the next month. Who should I contact for questions about my electric account or the Net Metering program. This prevents the member's generator from energizing REC's facilities and creating a hazard. gform.initializeOnLoaded( function() {gformInitSpinner( 4, 'https://chesapeakeclimate.org/wp-content/plugins/gravityforms/images/spinner.svg' );jQuery('#gform_ajax_frame_4').on('load',function(){var contents = jQuery(this).contents().find('*').html();var is_postback = contents.indexOf('GF_AJAX_POSTBACK') >= 0;if(!is_postback){return;}var form_content = jQuery(this).contents().find('#gform_wrapper_4');var is_confirmation = jQuery(this).contents().find('#gform_confirmation_wrapper_4').length > 0;var is_redirect = contents.indexOf('gformRedirect(){') >= 0;var is_form = form_content.length > 0 && ! Community solar may be another option if you wish to support clean energy without installing solar panels on your property. Start aLive Chat right now. Before installing or applying to interconnect your solar energy system, its important to ensure that the size of the system is appropriate. TELEPHONE HOURS House uses 500 kWh Renewable Generator produces 1000 kWh = REC will bill the member 0 kWh for that month and will carry forward a 500 kWh credit to the next month. Virginias Renewable Portfolio Standard, or RPS, law is badly broken. (540) 622-2001Directions. This is utility-owned solar power. How long will it take my generation to pay for itself? Dominion Virginia Power and Appalachian Power Company (APCo) have gone to great lengths in Virginia to limit customer-owned solar while also blocking legislation that would hold them accountable to installing solar energy themselves. Front Royal, Virginia 22630 The state of Virginia allows installations of up to the following sizes: 247 Industrial Court Depending on the finance option you choose, you or the solar contractor you choose will be the owner of the solar panels. Dirty polluters feel threatened by the growth of solar and have used every trick to stunt its growth in Virginia, standing in the way of customers who seek to power their lives with pollution-free energy. The value of the credits for a PPA is REC's avoided wholesale power costs or about 30-40% of the retail energy rate. If you choose to buy a solar energy system, you are likely eligible for the Federal Investment Tax Credit (ITC). This simple policy solution would add hundreds of new solar jobs in Virginia and result in a significant increase in the states solar energy production. Whereas the individual maximum allowable generator size for those on nonresidential tariffs is one megawatt (1000 kW). We buy excess energy as long as that customer pays their fair share of the co-ops costs to operate and maintain the electric grid. of Mines, Minerals and Energy - Solar Power, Solar Energy Industries Association - Virginia. Conversely, if at any time your solar panels will not cover your energy needs, then REC provides the remainder. When you have generated more electricity than you consumed during the billing period, you will receive a monthly bill that includes the access charge and any additional charges related to REC programs or services you have chosen. Upfront costs of your solar panels depend on a variety of factors and the financing option that you choose. When terms are longer (i.e. Solar panels utilize a two-way flow meter that measures the electricity you consume through REC and the excess electricity your solar panels produce. If the solar panels produce more than you need, the excess is measured at the meter and sent back onto the power grid to be used by other customers. CCAN is the sister organization of CCAN Action Fund: This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Why cant I see how much energy I am generating on my REC electric bill? Most renewable generator systems sold today have equipment with access to renewable generator readings that will estimate the output of the system. You can use this tool by entering your property address and following the prompts to determine estimates of your solar potential. Safety is REC's utmost concern. Standby charges are a flagrant attempt to suppress the solar market and discourage homeowners from taking advantage of renewable energy resources. Email* 8 a.m.- 5 p.m., Monday-Friday We recommend using RECs Solar Calculator to examine your homes solar potential. Solar power is growing nationally in two ways: 1) As individuals or groups of homeowners install solar panels on their own roofs to supply their homes with energy, known as customer-owned solar power. 2) As utility companies build large solar farms or solar installations that they own, whether its in partnership with large businesses or on their own property. You are responsible for the systems maintenance costs, however, solar equipment comes with warranties from manufacturers (often 10-30 years). This question is best answered by your installer or solar panel vendor, but you can get a general idea of payback period by using the tools atPVWATTsto determine the value of your generation per year compared to the total install cost. is_redirect && ! is_confirmation;var mt = parseInt(jQuery('html').css('margin-top'), 10) + parseInt(jQuery('body').css('margin-top'), 10) + 100;if(is_form){jQuery('#gform_wrapper_4').html(form_content.html());if(form_content.hasClass('gform_validation_error')){jQuery('#gform_wrapper_4').addClass('gform_validation_error');} else {jQuery('#gform_wrapper_4').removeClass('gform_validation_error');}setTimeout( function() { /* delay the scroll by 50 milliseconds to fix a bug in chrome */ jQuery(document).scrollTop(jQuery('#gform_wrapper_4').offset().top - mt); }, 50 );if(window['gformInitDatepicker']) {gformInitDatepicker();}if(window['gformInitPriceFields']) {gformInitPriceFields();}var current_page = jQuery('#gform_source_page_number_4').val();gformInitSpinner( 4, 'https://chesapeakeclimate.org/wp-content/plugins/gravityforms/images/spinner.svg' );jQuery(document).trigger('gform_page_loaded', [4, current_page]);window['gf_submitting_4'] = false;}else if(!is_redirect){var confirmation_content = jQuery(this).contents().find('.GF_AJAX_POSTBACK').html();if(!confirmation_content){confirmation_content = contents;}setTimeout(function(){jQuery('#gform_wrapper_4').replaceWith(confirmation_content);jQuery(document).scrollTop(jQuery('#gf_4').offset().top - mt);jQuery(document).trigger('gform_confirmation_loaded', [4]);window['gf_submitting_4'] = false;wp.a11y.speak(jQuery('#gform_confirmation_message_4').text());}, 50);}else{jQuery('#gform_4').append(contents);if(window['gformRedirect']) {gformRedirect();}}jQuery(document).trigger('gform_post_render', [4, current_page]);} );} ); document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Copyright 2022 Chesapeake Climate Action Network. By pushing Virginias General Assembly and utility regulators to pass a series of caps, taxes and other limits on customer-owned rooftop solar in Virginia, Dominion and APCo keep tight control over our power supply to the detriment of clean energy development and to the overall reliability of our electric grid. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Click here for a downloadable factsheet about how CCAN is working to lift the barriers to solar in Virginia so that we can harness this clean energy resource, and the healthier air and new jobs that come with it. We will continue to push to raise barriers on solar and make it more accessible to Virginians across the state, both in statewide policy and at the grassroots level. Customers are only billed for their net electricity use, and the energy they export to the grid helps serve nearby customers. My system installer said I would never get an electric bill again. We have to buy power from someone; we might as well buy from our members.. Because solar panels will most likely be installed at a fixed tilt, the angle or pitch of your rooftop is not likely a concern. Only your NET excess generation - the unused generation your system provided onto the grid - shows on your bill. National Renewable Energy Laboratory - Solar Basics, Database of State Incentives for Renewable Energy, Virginia Dept. These charges will be based on the amount of engineering time, material and construction of work necessary to complete the interconnection. employs more Americans than the coal industry.

The solar contractor you choose will likely be the contractor (or affiliated subcontractor) responsible for installing your solar panels. To fix the problem, the new law also creates a three-part rate design for net-metering members only. Woodford, Virginia 22580 Dominion has successfully petitioned the General Assembly and the State Corporation Commission for the ability to tax residential net-metering customers who have solar systems between 10kw and 20kw anywhere between $40 and $80 per month. ?8=_%5_8I:APs:x1')Y\[~SLeKk@5Tc8qS7bjMc[Wc[es`-/5F #9x5QS |lB-,Xl8$t?Ivi%f8Q=T6p DE,v~oCC?ZVu,[]TLf#bzovalg}V-Y$SV;mx=cUIV"E`lDoskIWpeez7ul"OL3aqHYNHzfR%f~!0-S3 s 9~(MhG9~`McqPa' "yL Xz:-u{5F;/_:"$jov]DU|J^QEW >I&s/#RIBw}k~gP#=5OgQ;s&f9B0cvN~FMa9f1f( !o~B8.>w) Gov. To get involved in the campaign to bring more solar energy to Virginia,contact Harrison Wallace, Virginia Policy Coordinator, atharrison@chesapeakeclimate.org. Net-metering is a huge incentive to installing solar and improves grid reliability for everyone. Existing users can log in to see account information, view/pay their bill, and view details about their energy use. sMr:L7-2U2fq-_,s[R j4]@7~e1=mhFA:++u?g8'g.Lw--FuRw=?6-Lob-p5,}Q$3Hz#jQXZeQ``. Help promote policies that keep fossil fuels in the ground.

In the 2015 General Assembly, CCANpassed HB 1950/SB 1395, raising the non-residential net metering project cap from 500 kw to 1MW- a concrete step to grow Virginias clean energy economy! Your electric bill will not show any output of energy your system produced. Copyright 2022 Chesapeake Climate Action Network. When it comes to financing your solar energy system, there are multiple options that you can consider. For members who elect to enter into a PPA, REC agrees to purchase excess generation, if any, after 12 months. Additional resources such as EnergySage can provide a breakdown of updated pricing for solar. Additional tax exemptions may apply to homes or businesses with solar panels depending on the county or city where your property is. You can alsocontact usor emailoffice@myrec.coop. Roof orientation, age, and shading are some key factors in assessing if solar is a good fit, however, follow the advice of your solar contractor to determine if rooftop solar is appropriate for you. Go tomyrec.smarthub.coop. Does REC monitor my solar panels production and performance?

The Net Metering participant's generation must disconnect from the utility power system whenever an outage occurs. In some states, solar gardens can be established when a group of homeowners install one solar energy system and use its energy to power multiple nearby homes. This is illegal in the state of Virginia, as utilities have actively lobbied to prevent this practice in the state. If you are found to be operating a generator that has not been approved by the Cooperative, then your electrical service and generator may be disconnected due to the serious safety concerns to Cooperative workers and the public. REC does not monitor the generation of your system. Credit is certainly due to the other stakeholders at the table for understanding that.. In most cases, REC does not have to install equipment. And no co-op wants to reach the cap and say no to a member.. Zip Code* NameThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. To get a better idea of the suns energy on your property and estimations of your solar potential, use REC's Solar Calculator. Below are some brief explanations of the different options available to you: Choosing to purchase your solar panels outright gives you full ownership of the system, and can allow you to take advantage of federal and state incentives.