Letter to the editor: Urge lawmakers to fix solar loophole

Dear Editor,

Our legislators are back in session and I hope they work on good solar policies for Indiana.  This state should be thrilled so many people, schools, businesses and cities have and want to invest in solar technology. It makes us more energy self-sufficient.

I’m a solar owner and want to thank my representative Tony Cook for introducing a bill (HB 1136) that would extend net metering and makes solar more affordable for homes, schools and cities. Solar helps to cut energy costs and saves tax payer dollars for schools and cities. Solar and sustainable energy should be promoted to its utmost. Net metering is for small-scale, customer-owned and rooftop solar that is used to meet your own energy needs. It’s not about the large-scale solar farms for utilities.

I also want to urge Senator Scott Baldwin who sits on the utilities committee to hear a bill (SB 248) that fixes a terrible loophole.  Utilities are using this loophole to change the way they reimburse solar owners for energy supplied to the grid.  By changing from “monthly” to “instantaneous” netting, solar owners are compensated significantly less. Instantaneous netting hurts people, schools and cities that embrace energy freedom and expect to receive fair compensation for power we create. Lawmakers need to fix this loophole.

Jodi Becker

Westfield