20230727Comments_1.pdf

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The following comment was submited via PUCWeb:

Name: Trevor Jones
Submission Time: Jul 26 2023 5:07PM
Email: [e-mail]
Telephone: [phone]
Address: 518 Lake Cleveland Street
Burley, ID 83318

Name of U�lity Company: City of Burley

Case ID: IPC-E-23-14

Comment: "Background: I was raised in Burley and graduated high school here. I recently returned with
my family from living in Utah a�er about 7 years. I work remotely for a residen�al solar power company
headquartered in WA, Solgen Power.

I strongly oppose Idaho Power's proposal to subs�tute net billing for net metering, on the grounds that it
will financially discourage solar adop�on, with the following nega�ve effects:
1) it will squash a growing, but s�ll nascent, residen�al solar industry in the state. They did it already in
Utah while I lived there, and the effect was both drama�c and immediate. In Nevada, the move from net
metering was so drama�c that the state government intervened and reversed the decision, as it had
decimated the solar economy. 2) My company, Solgen Power, will have even greater difficulty providing
low-cost solar power to Idahoans, and 3) The solar industry supports Idahoans in high-paying posi�ons.
Typically these posi�ons are held by Idahoans. The solar firms this would hurt the most are the small
ones: locally owned and operated. In fact, I have an ambi�on to start my own residen�al solar firm,
focusing on Idaho, at a future date - but this proposal would likely make it impossible to do so in Idaho
Power's service territory (most of the state).

In short, moving from net metering to net billing would hurt Idaho ratepayers, employees, and
entrepreneurs. I urge the IPUC to reject Idaho Power's proposal and maintain the status quo of net
metering."
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