Net Metering for Rooftop Solar

Last year, your voices saved Wyoming's net-metering solar statues! Unfortunately, a select few of Wyoming’s lawmakers could once again be endangering rooftop solar owners, jobs, and opportunities for economic diversification.

The Legislature Joint Corporations, Elections & Political Subdivisions Committee will be discussing net-metering for rooftop solar on November 11th. We expect to see a last- minute bill intended to reduce the payback for solar panels. This change in the law would devastate the growing solar industry, small businesses, and communities that continue to make energy efficiency investments in solar.

We ask that you write or call the Corporations Committee members before November 10th and ask them to Save Rooftop Solar & Keep Wyoming's Net Metering law the way it is! The next page is a factsheet that will help inform your comments. Please be kind and respectful in your outreach to committee members and speak from your experience and values. If you are interested in testifying remotely via Zoom before the committee, we will follow up in the near future for instructions on how to sign up.

Here is the contact information for committee members and thank you for protecting Wyoming's Solar Industry!

NET METERING FOR ROOFTOP SOLAR

WHAT IS NET METERING? Net metering i s a billing mechanism that allows NET METERING CUSTOMERS USE THE homeowners and businesses that generate their GRID AND PAY FOR THE GRID own electricity to deliver power they do not use Most net metering customers both use and pay for back into the grid and receive full credit. These the grid. The majority of Wyoming solar owners credits can then be applied to future utility bills. only generate part of their own electricity. The rest Credits and energy savings allows solar owners to they purchase from their utility, just like other receive a payback on their solar panels where over customers. A solar customer pays 100% retail a period of time they can break even on the rates for all energy consumed from the utility. In investment. Wyoming, net metering customers also pay an

extra monthly fee toward grid maintenance. Recently, the Wyoming Legislature has focused on

reducing the payback of rooftop solar by changing our net-metering statues. NET METERING AND SOLAR PROVIDE JOBS AND ECONOMIC DIVERSIFICATION TO THE MYTH OF COST SHIFTING WYOMING The myth of the “ Cost Shift” implies that solar The solar industry is experiencing exceptional panel owners are not paying enough towards grid growth in Wyoming right now. Rolling back net maintenance. “Cost shifting” is a term that metering could kill the industry. T here are currently appears to be solely used against small 13 small businesses in our state that provide solar installations, counting for approximately 159 jobs. renewable systems; utilities claim that because According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, on-site solar users buy less electricity from them, solar jobs are the fastest growing occupation and the companies get less money to cover their solar energy is one of the fastest growing overall costs of transmission and grid economic sectors in the country. Net metering maintenance. This “cost-shift,” if it exists, is far needs to stay strong at a time when Wyoming less than other subsidies typically found in utility should be working hard to diversify our economy. rates, which charge the same rates to all We can't afford to lose any tools right now. residential customers, or to all similarly-sized commercial customers. When compared to all electricity used in Wyoming, the energy produced from rooftop solar systems in Wyoming is so miniscule L ess than 1/4 of one percent (0.059%) of WY's retail electric sales are met by net metered generation that any cost impact is trivial.

More information available at https://www.seia.org/solar-industry-research-data

NET METERING IS A NET BENEFIT FOR WHAT CAN YOU DO? NON-SOLAR CUSTOMERS The Corporations committee will meet in Cheyenne Studies show that the benefits provided by local on November 11th. Please call or write these rooftop solar equal, or exceed, the costs to the members and urge them to keep Wyoming’s utility or to other customers including the enhanced net-metering law the way it is. P lease be respectful reliability and resiliency of the electric system, land and concise, and speak from your experience and use benefits, air quality benefits and local values. economic benefits. COMMITTEE MEMBERS

Chairman Bill Landen | KEY TALKING POINTS: [email protected] (307) 237-4067 ● Wyoming should focus on supporting Chairman Tyler Lindholm one of the nation’s fastest growing [email protected] 307-282-0968 industries, not disabling it. We need to Sen. Cale Case | diversify our economy and the solar [email protected] 307-330-8427 industry is a key piece to our energy future. Sen. Tara Nethercott | ● The solar industry provides jobs and [email protected] (307) 399-7696 employment opportunities to people in Sen. Wendy Schuler | Wyoming. There are currently 10 small [email protected] (307) 789-1264 businesses in our state that provide solar Sen. Charles Scott | installations, counting for approximately 140 [email protected] (307) 473-2512 jobs Rep. Jim Blackburn | ● The cost-shifting argument unfairly [email protected] (307) 514-4318 targets Wyoming’s small-scale solar Rep. Aaron Clausen | customers. Cost shifting is not unique to [email protected] (307) 351-3664 rooftop solar. It occurs with many Rep. Scott Clem | electricity users and especially when [email protected] (307) 660-7141 residents, municipalities or businesses Rep. Andi Clifford | invest in energy-efficiency measures or [email protected] (307) 840-4327 when utilities service remote rural areas. Rep. Shelly Duncan | ● Solar provides other external benefits to [email protected] (307) 575-2894 non-solar customers. Such as health, Rep. Roy Edwards | social, and environmental benefits well [email protected] (307) 680-4290 beyond other forms of energy production. It Rep. Danny Eyre | also provides cost benefits to other [email protected] (307) 782-6376 ratepayers due to avoided energy needs, Rep. Dan Furphy | avoided distribution losses, and avoided [email protected] (307) 760-0148 costs for transmission, since the energy is produced in the same location where it is used ● Solar customers use the grid and pay for the grid. A solar customer pays 100% retail rates for all energy consumed from the utility. In Wyoming, net metering customers also pay an extra monthly fee toward grid maintenance.

More information available at https://www.seia.org/solar-industry-research-data