They call themselves TUSK (Tell Utilities Solar Wont be Killed) and they have been making the argument against solar taxes across the country. Here is a link to their website.
That battle has now come to Colorado where the utility monopoly there Xcel Energy wants to use government regulation to tax rooftop solar out of business.
Xcel wants to gut a policy called net metering. Net metering gives solar customers fair credit for the surplus energy they send back to the grid. Xcel turns around and sells that power at the full retail rate. Xcel wants to change the terms of the deal. The utility is asking regulators to change the rules so that it can just confiscate the rooftop solar surplus and sell it for a profit.
Gutting net metering kills emerging free markets in the energy supply business. In fact rooftop solar represents the only competition electric utility monopolies have ever faced and maybe thats why they want to kill it. And maybe thats why net metering has the support of TUSKs Chairman former congressman Barry Goldwater Jr. a strong supporter of free markets and energy independence.
Utilities like Xcel have failed to stifle rooftop solar in Arizona Oklahoma Idaho Utah and countless other states. It will be interesting to see how this plays out in Colorado.
One thing is certain; rooftop solar has become a conservative cause. Elected officials in Colorado and elsewhere would be wise to remember that while the left likes to go green the right lives to save green as in taxpayer savings that happen when services families and so many others go solar. Rarely does one get the opportunity to make both sides of the aisle happy.
They call themselves TUSK (Tell Utilities Solar Wont be Killed) and they have been making the argument against solar taxes across the country. Here is a link to their website.
That battle has now come to Colorado where the utility monopoly there Xcel Energy wants to use government regulation to tax rooftop solar out of business.
Xcel wants to gut a policy called net metering. Net metering gives solar customers fair credit for the surplus energy they send back to the grid. Xcel turns around and sells that power at the full retail rate. Xcel wants to change the terms of the deal. The utility is asking regulators to change the rules so that it can just confiscate the rooftop solar surplus and sell it for a profit.
Gutting net metering kills emerging free markets in the energy supply business. In fact rooftop solar represents the only competition electric utility monopolies have ever faced and maybe thats why they want to kill it. And maybe thats why net metering has the support of TUSKs Chairman former congressman Barry Goldwater Jr. a strong supporter of free markets and energy independence.
Utilities like Xcel have failed to stifle rooftop solar in Arizona Oklahoma Idaho Utah and countless other states. It will be interesting to see how this plays out in Colorado.
One thing is certain; rooftop solar has become a conservative cause. Elected officials in Colorado and elsewhere would be wise to remember that while the left likes to go green the right lives to save green as in taxpayer savings that happen when services families and so many others go solar. Rarely does one get the opportunity to make both sides of the aisle happy.