California Bill to change the way power companies compensate net energy producers- AB 920- Huffman- Solar and Wind Generation

It appears that the new law would require net energy producers to be compensated for that production. In my case that would mean PG and E would have to provide compensation for my net production at the time of my yearly “true-up”. Currently, if I have surplus production at year end true up time, it is zeroed out before the new billing cycle starts.

Quote from http://www.aroundthecapitol.com/Bills/AB_920

“The bill would require the electric utility to
offer a standard contract or tariff to eligible customer-generators
that includes compensation for the value of net surplus electricity.
The bill would require the electric utility, upon an affirmative
election by the eligible customer-generator to receive service
pursuant to this contract or tariff, to either: (1) provide net
surplus electricity compensation for any net surplus electricity
generated in the 12-month period, or (2) allow the eligible
customer-generator to apply the net surplus electricity as a credit
for kilowatt hours subsequently supplied by the electric utility to
the surplus customer-generator.“

Jan 2010 electricity billing

January billing information is in, and we are now at 1,255 KWh used since June 1, and with $6.27 surplus from the summer production. All in all, this January is a bit better for us than last Jan 2009 with a few KWh less use. It will be interesting to see how this turns out in the next few months. In 2009, we were already out of our surplus, and behind by $20.00 by this month's billing.