Electric rates rising - Demand Charges In / Peak Plans Out

[3mp_kwh]

Electricity - Can What Happened in Massachusetts, Happen Elsewhere?

Tesla uses the $.13/KWh national average, for 'savings' on its sales page. As rates cruise past $.23 on Eversource's new R1 tariff, plus supply, how much room is left? EVs drive auto CO2 down vs. gas. Using windmills drives electric CO2 down vs. natural gas (or nuclear?). Which policy dollar goes further, assuming one or the other? Or, do we assume electric rates don't impact EV sales?

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[nwdiver]

I'm really starting to fear for the grid. I don't advocate 'going off-grid'. It's far easier to reduce emissions when you can export solar to your neighbor. The impact my PV system has on emissions would be reduced by >50% if I was off-grid since I generate ~2x as much as I need.

But; The greed of investor-owned utilities is going to make divorcing the grid the more cost effective option. I'm fighting this ridiculous standby fee in NM. I pay ~$60/mo for the electricity I generate regardless of whether it's consumed directly, exported or stored in a battery. Over 15 years that's >$10k. I can easily go off-grid for that much and it's only going to get cheaper as battery costs keep falling. Utilities need to accept the reality that their business IS shrinking... that's inevitable. Fighting it is only going to make things worse.

If you have time... call Xcels policy director Evan Evans and try to 'reason' with him. Tell him that a solar tax is wrong. Charging a fee for self-consumption of solar PV is insane. It's bad for the grid and it's terrible policy.

Evan Evans
(806) 378-2930