A major solar energy battle has reached a settlement in Colorado. The solar industry is pretty happy with the result.
The following is a statement from Sean Gallagher, vice president of state affairs at the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA), on the filing of a multi-faceted settlement to resolve energy issues in Colorado:
“This settlement, signed by more than 20 parties, represents a turning point in Colorado’s energy future. It was a massive undertaking and Xcel Energy should be praised for their leadership.
“We applaud our fellow stakeholders who participated in lengthy negotiations and helped remove proposals that would have penalized the state’s solar customers for years to come. Instead, this settlement expands solar access to low-income customers. It significantly increases the state’s capacity for clean, reliable, affordable solar energy, including more than doubling the solar capacity for commercial and industrial customers through the SolarRewards program. Without a doubt, this will support more well-paying solar jobs in the state.
“We strongly encourage the Colorado Public Utility Commission to approve this deal, so Coloradoans can begin reaping the environmental and economic benefits of further solar adoption statewide.”
According to pv-tech, the proposals could be big wins for solar and net metering in Colorado, as they could preserve net metering.
There are three proposals on the table under the settlement. “One alters its customer rate structure, another is to create a community solar programme, and a third is to integrate more renewables into its portfolio to diversify the energy mix.”
We’ll keep you posted on any significant progress on the settlement.
Update: This article has been modified to clarify some statements and add more information.
Image via Shutterstock
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