20061011Comment.pdf

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Jean Jewell
From: Tonya Clark
Sent: Wednesday, October 11 20067:37 AMTo: Jean JewellCc: Gene Fadness
Subject: FW: Comments on Proposed Net Metering Changes
-----
Original Message-----
From: Morgan Brown (mailto:morgan(Q)devgreen.com)
Sent: Tuesday, October 10, 2006 12:50
To: Tonya Clark
Subject: Comments on Proposed Net Metering Changes
To: Idaho Public Utilities Commission
Re: Proposed Changes to Net Metering
I worked closely with Idaho Power and Scott Gates when Idaho Power was putting together their
Schedule 84 Net Metering contract. I made the decision to install a 3,520 W building integrated
photovoltaic system prior to Schedule 84 being available based on the belief that it was in Idaho Power
and their customer s interests to implement a reasonable net metering program. We were one of the
first homes in Idaho to be net metered. I was enthusiastic enough about the prospects for renewable
energy that I started with a colleague a business designing and installing solar electric systems.
Idaho Power customers do not have the advantage of being located in states or countries that provide
significant incentives for solar electric systems like Germany, California or even an electrical co-op in
Oregon. My customers are motivated by a sincere desire to do something good for the environment or
our dependence on foreign energy. Don t make it harder on them to do that.
Distributed solar energy is good for Idaho Power. It is. peak power and already distributed. It's
incremental contribution to the power supply disproportionately reduces Idaho Power s need to
purchase additional coal power production to meet peak demand. In a geriod where leaders all around
the globe are waking to the urgent need to reduce our output of carbon dioxide it would seem incredible
that Idaho Power and the PUC would be considering taking steps that would make it less attractive to
make a dramatic improvement in a households carbon footprint. This is a tiny financial matter for Idaho
Power - the public relations loss of being perceived as being on the wrong side of a tsunami of public
awareness on global warming is immeasurably greater than whatever financial gain would be directly
received by abandoning a 1: 1 net metering. Just consider the effort Idaho Power places in marketing
it's Green Power program. This change would negate much of that perception. It is the wrong direction
to go. Solar s distributed peak power should be compensated at greater than the retail rate. It is worth
more to the utility as it is offsetting the incremental need to locate expensive peak power capacity.
Thank you for considering my comments.
Morgan Brown
6uN VALL~Y 60LAR
Morgan Brown, BSEE
10/11/2006
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IEEE, LEEOCB) Accredited Professional
NABCEP certified solar PV installer
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