CA residents: AB 1139 discussion

[Dukeybootie]

I am starting to see more headlines and social media chatter regarding AB 1139 and was hoping to get some more info and thoughts on the matter from the community here. From what I am reading, it seems like a bill written completely in favor of the utilities to the detriment of current and prospective solar homeowners. Hoping wiser and more thoughtful voices could chime in and educate me more as I prepare to push this locally and urge other solar homeowners to sign a petition or contact their elected state officials. Is there anything good about this bill if you are not SCE, PG&E, etc?

 

[house9]

You should check out this thread: California Utilities Plan All Out War On Solar, Please Read And Help

 

[wwhitney]

An article I read a few days ago said AB 1139 had to pass some legislative hurdle by yesterday, or it would die. Does anyone know if it made over the hurdle?

Cheers, Wayne

 

[BGbreeder]

Text of the revised bill is here Bill Text - AB-1139 Net energy metering.

@wwhitney I don't see anything on May 21 being a hurdle. It is still listed as being in committee.

All the best,

BG

 

[wwhitney]

From:

California eyes rooftop solar policy changes. The industry says its future hangs in the balance

State lawmakers and regulators are considering changes to the program that pays rooftop...

www.sfchronicle.com

"The most immediate is AB1139, which needs to pass out of a key fiscal Assembly committee by Friday to advance through the Legislature."

The history tab of Bill History says

05/20/21 From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 10. Noes 4.) (May 20).
05/20/21 Joint Rule 62(a), file notice suspended.
05/19/21 In committee: Set, first hearing. Referred to APPR. suspense file.

I'm unclear if that top line item from Thursday represents it "passing out of a key fiscal Assembly committee" or not.

Cheers, Wayne

 

[Odiemac]

It seems like they’re sticking with this “Grid Services Charge” of roughly $10 per installed KW of roof solar, so in our case we’d be paying $130 for, uh, having solar?

With powerwalls, we don’t really need NEM to make the economics work. Will PG&E let you cancel NEM and receive NO compensation from net metering? I refuse to pay $10 per KW ongoing for just panels existing on my roof.

 

[jjrandorin]

I am starting to see more headlines and social media chatter regarding AB 1139 and was hoping to get some more info and thoughts on the matter from the community here. From what I am reading, it seems like a bill written completely in favor of the utilities to the detriment of current and prospective solar homeowners. Hoping wiser and more thoughtful voices could chime in and educate me more as I prepare to push this locally and urge other solar homeowners to sign a petition or contact their elected state officials. Is there anything good about this bill if you are not SCE, PG&E, etc?

(moderator note: this is not a tesla energy topic, so will be moved to the energy section, where there is already active discussion on the topic)

 

[Merrill]

Please sign the Solar Rights Alliance petition they had a great crowd at the capital the other day, lots of media attention and many people calling their representatives against this bill. If it passes it will be the end of solar in California, it is so unfortunate that many politicians are being bought by the fossil fuel industry.

 

[Ampster]

I never heard back from my 4th District Assembly person after I emailed via the web. An Assembly person I have known for years and who is on that committee abstained on the vote a few weeks ago.

I will look up the petition and sign it.They have characterized it as an increase in CARE plan subsidies, which will appeal to some. I am in the process of moving to another home an will follow carefully as I spec my new system.

 

[Odiemac]

(moderator note: this is not a tesla energy topic, so will be moved to the energy section, where there is already active discussion on the topic)

I mean, this totally IS a Tesla Energy topic. Annoying that it keeps getting moved to a different forum. Net Metering and battery storage and Tesla’s largest market for solar is all much more relevant to Tesla Energy forum than Political Smackdown forum.

 

[jjrandorin]

I mean, this totally IS a Tesla Energy topic. Annoying that it keeps getting moved to a different forum. Net Metering and battery storage and Tesla’s largest market for solar is all much more relevant to Tesla Energy forum than Political Smackdown forum.

No, its not, its a california specific topic about policy, not about tesla energy products or competing products. if the discussion was "what settings is everyone using on their powerwalls now that AB1139 has passed?", that would be a tesla energy discussion.

The discussion being in this section certainly does not stop anyone from discussing it, in fact, it brings it to the eyeballs of people who enjoy policy discussions.

 

[Big Dog]

It seems like they’re sticking with this “Grid Services Charge” of roughly $10 per installed KW of roof solar, so in our case we’d be paying $130 for, uh, having solar?

With powerwalls, we don’t really need NEM to make the economics work. Will PG&E let you cancel NEM and receive NO compensation from net metering? I refuse to pay $10 per KW ongoing for just panels existing on my roof.

Can't you just disconnect from the Grid and have no further payments due?

 

[RKCRLR]

No, its not, its a california specific topic about policy, not about tesla energy products or competing products. if the discussion was "what settings is everyone using on their powerwalls now that AB1139 has passed?", that would be a tesla energy discussion.

The discussion being in this section certainly does not stop anyone from discussing it, in fact, it brings it to the eyeballs of people who enjoy policy discussions.

While I understand the desire to categorize political discussions in their proper place, at this point AB 1139 extends beyond future what-if scenarios. It has moved beyond it's initial stage and there is a real possibility it could be enacted.

What makes this significant is, if enacted the way it is currently worded, that it will have a significant retroactive impact to existing solar systems. Those of us that made an investment decision based on an ROI that promised a 20 year NEM period may not have made the investment if we knew that that investment was not going to be as good as promised.

 

[RKCRLR]

Can't you just disconnect from the Grid and have no further payments due?

In many places there are local ordinances that require you to be connected to the grid. And if this passes I wouldn't be surprised if it becomes a requirement that you be connected to the grid if it is available to you.

And from a practical aspect depending on local conditions, it may be too costly to have a system that is completely self-sustaining.

 

[RKCRLR]

I wonder what would happen if, in a form of protest, that everyone with solar decided to disconnect from the grid at the same time on a hot summer afternoon.
How would the current infrastructure handle this?

 

[msm859]

It seems like they’re sticking with this “Grid Services Charge” of roughly $10 per installed KW of roof solar, so in our case we’d be paying $130 for, uh, having solar?

With powerwalls, we don’t really need NEM to make the economics work. Will PG&E let you cancel NEM and receive NO compensation from net metering? I refuse to pay $10 per KW ongoing for just panels existing on my roof.

I look at it as paying $10 per month for an unlimited battery back up. Sounds like a deal to me. That's $1200 per decade. How much does a Powerball costs? And how long will it last?

 

[Merrill]

Things get changed if people revolt, call your representatives sign the Solar Rights Alliance initiative and email the governor. Just be vocal about this problem remember what happened in Nevada.

 

[RKCRLR]

I look at it as paying $10 per month for an unlimited battery back up. Sounds like a deal to me. That's $1200 per decade. How much does a Powerball costs? And how long will it last?

it would only be $10/month for those that have only a 1 KW solar system. Most people have significantly larger systems.

 

[Merrill]

I look at it as paying $10 per month for an unlimited battery back up. Sounds like a deal to me. That's $1200 per decade. How much does a Powerball costs? And how long will it last?

That is $10 per kW, if you have a 6kW solar system it is $60 a month.

 

[holeydonut]

I never heard back from my 4th District Assembly person after I emailed via the web. An Assembly person I have known for years and who is on that committee abstained on the vote a few weeks ago.

I will look up the petition and sign it.They have characterized it as an increase in CARE plan subsidies, which will appeal to some. I am in the process of moving to another home an will follow carefully as I spec my new system.

Yeah, my rep in the 16th district (Bauer-Kahan) abstained from voting on when this, and naturally her office has no comment about what AB-1139.

I think the problem is Bauer-Kahan has her own AB-427 which is meant to increase the adoption of batteries and distributed storage in California. And since policymakers have to literally go through Lorena Gonzalez to get through appropriations, Bauer-Kahan can't piss off Gonzalez by voting against her "screw NEM" bill.

But the irony is that what Bauer-Kahan wants under AB-427 is literally impossible if AB-1139 passes since 427 involves batteries that have to be charged by the solar that Gonzalez wants to kneecap.

Ugh. I guess AB-1139 is going through for a 3rd "reading" today. It's still BS that the appropriation's chair can fast track her own bills through, while letting other bills languish if she just wants to obstruct. Why is the appropriations chair also allowed to also author bills?