GP: Net metering bill advances in NY Senate

["Tom Gray" <tomgray@igc.org>]

-----Original Message-----
From: David Wooley [mailto:dwooley@youngsommer.com]
Sent: Tuesday, May 21, 2002 10:34 PM
To: Mike Bergey; Ward Marshall; Robert Poore; Bob Lynette; Christopher
Flavin; Harry Halloran; Jamie Chapman; Conover, Karen; Peter Mandelstam;
Bruce Bailey; David Blittersdorf; William Hopwood; Gerry Wahl; Robert
Sherwin; Robert Markee; Forsyth, Trudy; Dan Bernadett; John Saintcross;
Kathy Belyeu; Randy Swisher; Richard Michaud; Steve, Jaime; Ed Knott;
Bob Bechtold; Gray Tom; Christine Real de Azua; Jon Chase; Andy Kruse;
Dan Reicher
Subject: Net Metering bill advances in NY Senate


On Tuesday 5/21, the NY State Senate Energy Committee voted unanimously in
favor or a wind net metering bill.  The bill, sponsored by Republican
Committee Chairman Jim Wright, now goes to the Senate Rules Committee.  The
bill will extend net metering for turbines up to 250 kW and prohibits
imposition of special fees or interconnection costs on owners of on site
wind generators.  The Governor's draft state energy plan calls for
expansion of new metering to wind generation.  A similar bill was passed
unanimously by the full state Assembly in April.

We still face some opposition to the bill from electric distribution
utilities, so companies are encouraged to send memoranda in support of the
bill to the following:

Joseph Bruno
Senate Majority Leader
fax # 518-455-2448

Attached is a sample format for the memo in support.  Thanks for your
support.

                                                         David Wooley
`
                                                         DRW


Please note my new email address - as of 12/4/01

David R. Wooley
Young, Sommer...LLC
5 Palisades Drive
Albany, New York 12205
518-438-9907, Ext. 238
(fax) 518-438-9914
(mobile) 518-441-2966
dwooley@youngsommer.com

Counsel, Clean Air Task Force



MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT
OF NET METERING FOR WIND
POWER GENERATORS

Bill Number:  A.11280 (Englebright/Tonko); S.6825-A (Wright/Johnson)

	This bill will amend the Public Service Law to permit electric power
customers to use wind power generation technology to supply their own
electric power needs and to receive a credit for surplus power supplied to
the electric grid.  The bill will encourage electricity production from wind
power generators located on farms, homesteads and commercial property.

Description of the Bill

This legislation applies to wind generation systems utilized by homeowners,
farmers and commercial entities. With these systems, customers produce a
portion of their own energy, but remain interconnected to the electric power
distribution system (electric grid) for the remainder of their electric
supply. Net metering refers to the process by which electric consumers
receive a credit on their electric bill for surplus power fed into the main
electric grid, at times when a customer-owned wind generator produces more
electricity than is being consumed by the owner’s home, farm or business.
This legislation also prohibits electric utilities from charging special
rates or fees to consumers who have wind generation on their premises.

This bill amends similar legislation enacted in 1997 that provides for a tax
credit and net metering credit for residential solar photovoltaic systems.
Thirty states currently allow for some form of net metering. New York is one
of only two such states that does not allow for a net metering credit for
wind energy generators located on homes and farms.

Summary of Specific Provisions:

	Under this legislation, utilities would allow residential, farm and
commercial customers to interconnect wind generation systems to the electric
distribution system according to standard interconnection requirements, and
without special fees or charges. Consumers would be billed only for the net
amount of consumption in a billing period that is in excess of the power
generated by a wind turbine generator.  Customers would receive a credit on
the next monthly bill for any net export of power from the customer’s
premises to the electric power grid.

Statement in Support:

	New York has considerable wind energy resources. Wind energy resources are
most prevalent in central and western parts of the state. Residential and
farm scale wind turbines (5 to 250 kW) are now widely available for home,
agricultural and commercial applications.

Wind energy technologies produce a variety of public and private benefits.
The development of a residential/farm wind energy industry in New York would
create new jobs, reduce customer electric bills, reduce electricity
distribution costs and limit air pollution.  Wind energy technology promotes
independence from imported fossil fuel and avoids pollution from
conventional electric power generation.  The cost of wind generators is
rapidly declining. They produce zero emissions and are an environmentally
responsible method of electricity production. Net metering for wind
generation will create new businesses that sell, install and service wind
generation equipment.  This bill could also help attract wind turbine
equipment manufacturers to establish businesses in New York State.


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This discussion group is sponsored in part by: 
  * Center for Renewable Energy and Sustainable Technology, http://www.crest.org
  * Global Environmental Options, http://www.geonetwork.org
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