GREENVILLE, S.C., Sept. 16, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Duke Energy
today announced an agreement with leading solar installers,
environmental groups and renewable energy advocates that, if
approved by regulators, will create long-term stability for the
residential solar industry in South
Carolina.
The deal will provide options for customers while allowing the
company to address increasing electric demand periods in the winter
for the benefit of the company's systems and customers in both
North Carolina and South Carolina.
The proposed plan – Solar Choice Net Metering – could be the
next generation of net energy metering for the Carolinas, a billing
process that credits small customers with rooftop solar arrays for
excess electricity they generate and provide to Duke Energy via the
grid.
Solar Choice Net Metering will include retail rates that vary
based on the time of day and when utilities experience peak demand.
It will also give customers the ability to install a smart
thermostat with their solar panels and receive an incentive for the
combination.
"This first-of-a-kind package completely modernizes the rooftop
solar transaction," said Lon Huber,
Duke Energy's vice president for rate design and strategic
solutions. "This new arrangement not only recognizes the value of
solar and the enabling energy grid, but it unlocks additional
benefits for all customers by addressing when utilities experience
peak demand across their systems in the Carolinas."
Those organizations part of the effort include renewable energy
advocates Vote Solar and North Carolina Sustainable Energy
Association; the Southern Environmental Law Center on behalf of
South Carolina Coastal Conservation League, Upstate Forever and
Southern Alliance for Clean Energy; and leading rooftop solar
installer Sunrun. Each organization that is part of the agreement
will continue to advance the proposal to other stakeholders and
ultimately regulators.
The agreement builds on the goals of the South Carolina Energy
Freedom Act (Act 62). The 2019 legislation is the result of a
collaborative and bipartisan effort to develop the next steps for
energy policy in South Carolina
that support the state's continued commitment to solar energy
development.
"Collaboration brought us a pathway to growing renewables in the
state with Act 62, and that spirit of working together created this
plan for the continued expansion of solar in South Carolina," said Mike Callahan, Duke Energy South Carolina state
president. "Duke Energy is committed to the cooperative spirit that
has been a hallmark of achieving successful solar policy and
creating a cleaner energy future for customers in South Carolina."
"Duke Energy deserves credit for its leadership in bringing
stakeholders together, establishing trust through transparency, and
embracing policy innovation," said Thad
Culley, senior regional director for Vote Solar. "I am
hopeful that this collaborative approach will encourage more
partnerships with Duke Energy as we try to navigate our way toward
a cleaner, more resilient grid, while providing additional choices
for South Carolina families."
If approved by regulators, the company anticipates a
transitional tariff to be available on June
1, 2021, to allow for a full transition into the new plan on
or before Jan. 1, 2022.
Duke Energy
Duke Energy (NYSE: DUK), a Fortune 150 company headquartered in
Charlotte, N.C., is one of the
largest energy holding companies in the U.S. It employs 29,000
people and has an electric generating capacity of 51,000 megawatts
through its regulated utilities and 2,300 megawatts through its
nonregulated Duke Energy Renewables unit.
Duke Energy is transforming its customers' experience,
modernizing the energy grid, generating cleaner energy and
expanding natural gas infrastructure to create a smarter energy
future for the people and communities it serves. The Electric
Utilities and Infrastructure unit's regulated utilities serve 7.8
million retail electric customers in six states: North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Indiana, Ohio
and Kentucky. The Gas Utilities
and Infrastructure unit distributes natural gas to 1.6 million
customers in five states: North
Carolina, South Carolina,
Tennessee, Ohio and Kentucky. The Duke Energy Renewables unit
operates wind and solar generation facilities across the U.S., as
well as energy storage and microgrid projects.
Duke Energy was named to Fortune's 2020 "World's Most Admired
Companies" list and Forbes' "America's Best Employers" list. More
information about the company is available at duke-energy.com. The
Duke Energy News Center contains news releases, fact sheets,
photos, videos and other materials. Duke Energy's illumination
features stories about people, innovations, community topics and
environmental issues. Follow Duke Energy on Twitter, LinkedIn,
Instagram and Facebook.
Duke Energy Media Contact: Ryan
Mosier
24-Hour: 800.559.3853
Vote Solar Media Contact: Hilary
Lewis
202.455.0361
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SOURCE Duke Energy