The NC Clean Energy Technology Center (NCCETC) has its 1st Quarter 2024 Edition of “The 50 States of Solar.” The quarterly series provides insight into regulatory and legislative discussions and actions in distributed solar policy, with an emphasis on net metering, distributed solar rating, community solar, residential fixed charges, demand and residential, third-party owned and utility-directed solar loads. rooftop solar programs.
Policy action in Q1 2024 on net metering, rate design and solar ownership
The report shows that 43 states, plus the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, have taken some form of policy action on distributed solar by the first quarter of 2024, with the largest number of actions continuing to focus on policy on net metering (56), fixed charges for homes or minimum rates. bill increases (42) and community solar policies (37). A total of 163 distributed solar policy actions were taken in the first quarter of 2024, with the majority in California, Arizona, Maine, Washington, Connecticut, Illinois, New York, Oregon, Vermont and Virginia.
The report identifies three trends in solar policy activity in the first quarter of 2024: (1) states are considering legislation to enable community solar, (2) net metering reform efforts are moving to new states and (3) states clarify net metering rules for solar customers. time-of-use rates.
“The evolution of community solar programs continues this quarter,” said Vincent Potter, Senior Policy Analyst at NCCETC. “Maryland’s permanent program rules are being developed for implementation following legislative changes last year, and other states are updating their programs to meet customer demand.”
Solar Energy United Neighbors
The report lists the top 5 distributed solar policy actions of the first quarter of 2024:
- Massachusetts regulators allowing net metering credit transfers between utilities;
- Delaware lawmakers initiating a cost-benefit study on net metering;
- Virginia Lawmakers Expand Shared Solar Programs;
- West Virginia Public Service Commission adopts net metering reforms; And
- The Arizona Corporation Commission approves a new network access fee.
“While some of the larger solar markets have revised their net metering rules in recent years, we continue to see states with smaller markets considering similar reforms,” said Brian Lips, Senior Policy Project Manager at NCCETC.
View the summary of the 50 States of Solar Q1 2024 quarterly report here.
News item from NCCETC