Climate groups plan Farmer's Market protest of utility companies ... - WKOW

Climate groups plan Farmer's Market protest of utility companies' solar proposals | News | wkow.com
350 Wisconsin, Sierra Club of Wisconsin, and Healthy Climate Wisconsin organized the demonstration planned for Saturday morning, during the Dane County Farmer's Market, on the Capitol Square.

MADISON (WKOW) -- Climate advocacy groups are planning a rally against two area utility companies for their proposed changes to solar panel incentives.

350 Wisconsin, Sierra Club of Wisconsin, and Healthy Climate Wisconsin organized the demonstration planned for Saturday morning, during the Dane County Farmer's Market, on the Capitol Square.

The groups will raise awareness of changes to net-metering proposed by Madison Gas and Electric and Alliant Energy.

Net-metering is the practice of utilities paying customers for the excess electricity generated by rooftop solar panels.

MGE's change would cut the rate at which the company compensates most residential customers through net metering from 13 cents per kilowatt-hour to 7.5 cents. To compensate, the utility is proposing upfront incentive payments of up to $1,000 for new solar installations.

If approved, the new system would take effect on April 1, 2024. All MGE customers who installed solar panels before that date would be grandfathered into the old net metering system.

Alliant Energy's changes would focus on when net metering is calculated. Currently, customers are paid for their excess electricity generation at the end of the month, and the amount is deducted from their bill.

Under the new proposal, net-metering would be calculated every hour with different prices paid for solar electricity depending on the time of day. Power generated in the evenings, when demand is highest, would be worth more. However, solar panels are most productive when they receive more sunlight around midday.

Alliant is also proposing a new credit that would increase compensation rates.

Solar installers sell panels to homeowners by showing that net-metering will pay for the cost of the installation over the life of the panel.

"And the proposed changes would make that much, much, much more difficult, which would put these renewable energy alternatives out of reach for everyday people," Emily Park, co-executive director of 350 Wisconsin, said. "It's not just wealthy people, major corporations who want solar panels, it's everyday people."

In a statement, Alliant Energy Spokesperson Tony Palese said that a similar change the company instituted in Iowa did not slow rooftop solar adoption.

And MGE Spokesperson Steve Schultz said the change was to "maintain energy affordability for all customers."

The proposed changes also come with rate increases the two companies hope to impose on customers. The Wisconsin Public Service Commission oversees utilities in the state and will have the final say on if the net metering changes can proceed.