CITIZEN POWER ALLIANCE

Also in the news last week, New York Governor David Paterson signed a legislative package on August 5 that could encourage people throughout the state to install grid-connected solar and wind power systems, systems that generate power from farm wastes and "green" roofs. Most of the bills relate to net metering. Senate Bill 7171 expands net metering to include non-residential solar power systems up to 2 megawatts (MW) in capacity, or equal in size to the customer's peak load, whichever is less, and increases the maximum solar power system size for residential customers to 25 kilowatts (kW), up from 10 kW.

The bill also attempted to increase the limit for farm-based anaerobic digesters from 400 kW to 1 MW, but a separate bill, S. 8415, knocked the limit down to 500 kW. S. 7171 also requires each utility to develop a model contract and reasonable rates, terms and conditions for net metering of non-residential customers, and to develop safety standards for interconnecting these customers. It also includes a requirement for an external disconnect switch, which is rarely needed for modern grid connection equipment.

Senate Bill 8481 applies similar changes to net-metered wind power generators, allowing farms to net meter wind turbines as large as 500 kW, up from 25 kW, and expanding net metering of wind turbines to include non-residential customers, who can net meter wind turbines as large as 2 MW or the customer's peak load, whichever is less.