Rooftop solar wins one!

The California Public Utilities Commission today (December 15) delivered a surprising victory for the rooftop solar industry, slapping down utilities that wanted to slash rates at which solar customers are compensated for electricity they generate. The utilities' suggestions were so harsh that rooftop solar would have been punished in a state that is ideally suited for the technology.

It was not a complete victory. Under the commission's proposal, new solar customers would pay a connection fee of $75 to $150. Also, solar customers would pay 2 to 3 cents per kilowatt for electricity they get from utilities, regardless of how much power their system produces. A final decision will be made January 28.

Under the concept of net metering, solar users get paid for surplus power they create that is fed back into the grid. Utilities wanted to cut that payment roughly in half. Also, utilities wanted solar users to pay monthly fees. Generally, the solar industry was pleased with the decision.