Rooftop solar advocates want action in Legislature

Rooftop Solar Advocates Want Action

Uber might be on the front burner in the Nevada Legislature lately, but there is another pressing consumer issue awaiting resolution for those who want to leave the grid, or at least make a buck off of it.

It’s all about rooftop solar customers and a policy called net metering.

Efforts to raise the legislatively imposed 3 percent cap on net metering remains in limbo here, with NV Energy, aka Nevada Power, opposed to a raise in the limit.

The rooftop solar industry argues that the entire industry will leave Nevada, taking with it 6,000 jobs, if there’s no increase in the cap.

As part of its ongoing lobbying to convince lawmakers to raise the cap, the rooftop solar industry will be out in force today to bring pressure to bear in support of its position.

Nevada solar workers from across the state will participate in a lobby day in Carson City to ask elected officials to raise the cap.

Solar advocates say that because of the popularity of solar in Nevada, the state is quickly approaching an arbitrary cap on the number of solar systems Nevadans can install on their rooftops, which they argue means a cap on solar jobs.

If the cap is hit as expected this summer thousands of Nevadans will lose their jobs, say the rooftop solar advocates.

NV Energy says the rooftop solar industry will do just fine without the subsidies it says come with net metering.

Just a little more theater as the 2015 session winds down.

Contact Sean Whaley at swhaley@reviewjournal.com or 775-687-3900. Find him on Twitter: @seanw801