Pressure from Lobbying Groups Could Kill Rooftop Solar

Rooftop solar might go the way of Solyndra if traditional utilities win the battle of public opinion. They already have a powerful advocate in Energy Secretary Rick Perry, and not coincidentally, rooftop solar installations took a nosedive in 2017.

According to the NY Times, rooftop photovoltaics grew by nearly 900% over the last six years, but well-funded lobbying efforts by traditional utilities reversed that trend, causing a projected decline of 2% this year.

The Gray Lady also acknowledged financial woes at leading solar panel manufacturers (see sentence #1) and the overall market saturation. Enjoy the endless parade of door-to-door solar panel salesmen? Me neither.

Back in April, Secretary Perry “ordered an examination of how renewable energy may be hurting conventional sources like coal, oil, and natural gas,” noted the Times, and the nucleus of that study – a report by Perry’s Chief of Staff, Brian McCormack – is due this summer.

Make no mistake – this is one expensive lobbying effort vs. another. The only plucky little guy is the consumer caught in the middle.

“We believe it is important to balance the needs of all customers,” said Jeffrey Ostermayer of the Edison Electric Institute.

“There’s no doubt these utilities are out to kill rooftop solar, and they’re succeeding,” countered David Pomerantz, executive director of the Energy and Policy Institute, an advocacy group for alternative energy.

And the immediate winner appears to be traditional utilities, with a number of states cancelling “net metering” programs and others considering higher costs for solar. The federal report from Brian McCormack could have dramatic implications for the future of renewable energy in this country.

My position is the same it’s always been – let the consumer decide. Moreover, it’s up to you, dear reader – the engineers in the trenches – to hash out these issues in a responsible manner. Our country’s future depends on it.