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http://www.pge.com/solarchoice is a pair of new programs that let PGE electricity customers reduce their CO2 emissions by buying a share of the output of solar farms.
The program is "green-e certified",
but goes beyond that by promising to actually use power from new solar installations (once they're finished)
instead of just from renewable energy plants built after some date a decade or so in the past (as green-e promises).
Now, I know some people here may want to pounce and say "IT'S A SCAM", so let me be clear about what it might achieve.
Their marketing blurb uses the usual "100% clean solar energy" language, but what it means by that is "... with virtual net metering", I think.
In other words, when you sign up at the 100% level, you get a slice of some new solar project's output whose total output in kWh over a day is equal to your usage in kWh over a day. Nighttime generation might still be from natural gas, but the net CO2 emissions for the customer is still zero (because they reduce daytime emissions for other customers enough to offset their nighttime usage).
This works great at low penetrations, so participation is limited to 272 MW total participation, and enrolment ends in 2019.
So, if fully subscribed, it might actually help decrease PGE's CO2 emissions by about the amount a natural gas plant would emit generating 272MW.
The program is also interesting in the context of California's upcoming "net zero energy" mandate for residential construction, which begins in 2020; residential units built after that date without solar panels might well be required to sign up for a service like this.
Their marketing text says:
-- snip -- With PG&E's Solar Choice and Regional Solar Choice, anyone can access solar energy, including those with homes or apartments that can’t support rooftop solar.
PG&E’s Solar Choice:
Regional Solar Choice:
-- snip --
The program is "green-e certified",
but goes beyond that by promising to actually use power from new solar installations (once they're finished)
instead of just from renewable energy plants built after some date a decade or so in the past (as green-e promises).
Now, I know some people here may want to pounce and say "IT'S A SCAM", so let me be clear about what it might achieve.
Their marketing blurb uses the usual "100% clean solar energy" language, but what it means by that is "... with virtual net metering", I think.
In other words, when you sign up at the 100% level, you get a slice of some new solar project's output whose total output in kWh over a day is equal to your usage in kWh over a day. Nighttime generation might still be from natural gas, but the net CO2 emissions for the customer is still zero (because they reduce daytime emissions for other customers enough to offset their nighttime usage).
This works great at low penetrations, so participation is limited to 272 MW total participation, and enrolment ends in 2019.
So, if fully subscribed, it might actually help decrease PGE's CO2 emissions by about the amount a natural gas plant would emit generating 272MW.
The program is also interesting in the context of California's upcoming "net zero energy" mandate for residential construction, which begins in 2020; residential units built after that date without solar panels might well be required to sign up for a service like this.
Their marketing text says:
-- snip -- With PG&E's Solar Choice and Regional Solar Choice, anyone can access solar energy, including those with homes or apartments that can’t support rooftop solar.
PG&E’s Solar Choice:
- You use energy in the form of electricity to power your home every day.
- Choose an enrollment level at 50% or 100% of your usage.
- When you enroll, PG&E will purchase additional, new solar resources to meet your electricity needs as well as those of other participating customers.
- Your monthly electric energy statement will include a charge for the solar power you are purchasing and related program charges, as well as a credit for the standard generation you are no longer purchasing. Today, the net of these charges and credits is a premium. See the Product Content Label and Price, Terms and Conditions for more details. Learn more about the estimated impact on your energy statement by checking out our Rate Calculator.
- Your electricity use will be matched with 100% clean, renewable solar energy at your chosen enrollment level.
Regional Solar Choice:
- You use energy in the form of electricity to power your home every day.
- Identify a participating Regional Solar Choice project and/or developer.
- You contract with a Regional Solar Choice developer for a portion of a Regional Solar Choice project for the equivalent of 25%–100% of your annual usage in what’s called a “Customer- Developer Agreement” (CDA).
- You pay the developer directly according to the terms of your CDA.
- Wait for the project to be built and become operational. As it nears operation, you can work with a developer to enroll with PG&E in the program. If the project is already operational, you can do this after the CDA.
- In order to receive a bill credit in relation to the output of your subscribed portion of the project, the project must be operational. At that time you will receive a credit on your PG&E energy statement. Be sure to enroll with PG&E with the form provided to you by your developer in order to receive the credit.
-- snip --