A big Utility and the Solar Industry Disagree on Proposed Mi Energy Reforms

Those in the solar industry and one of the state’s largest utilities disagree on the impact of Senate legislation to overhaul the state’s energy policy.

Amy Heart of The Alliance for Solar Choice says the proposed restructuring would effectively kill Michigan’s net metering program, under which solar panel users give their excess electricity to their utility in return for a credit.

Heart says, under the proposed changes, solar users would have to sell all their power to the utility at wholesale prices and the utility would resell that electricity to its customers, including solar users, at market prices.

Irene Dimitry of DTE Energy says solar users still use the power grid and the program changes would ensure they pay their fair share to maintain it.

She also says the net metering program was meant to help get the solar energy sector on its feet, but now it’s time for it to stand on its own legs.