"Facts Not Ads"

Public Facts Not Ads by on Scribd

Currently (pun intended) the El Paso Electric Company, which has the highest rates of any city in Texas, has filed a rate case for a rate hike. EPEC also intends to continue its efforts to undermine the solar rooftop industry in El Paso. The slide show above was created by Blanca Gadney-Moss, a professional counselor in El Paso, and a strong advocate for solar power. She is a member of Eco-El Paso and the Regional Renewable Energy Advisory Committee. 

The Friday Video on Saturday: Our Generation Is Changing Energy

Wow! A month's hiatus. Well, I'm back and you can expect more on elpasonaturally. To begin here is a video on the importance of solar energy. If you get elpasonaturally by email, you may not be able to see it; so, go to www.elpasonaturally.blogspot.com. Please also visit generation180.org.

Solar Cheaper Than Fossil Fuels or Wind . . .

. . . in developing countries such as China, Chile, Brazil, Uruguay, South Africa, and India. Here are links for more information:

From Bloomberg Technology: World Energy Hits a Turning Point: Solar That's Cheaper Than Wind

From EcoWatch: It's Official: Solar Energy Cheaper Than Fossil Fuels

It is not the case here in the United States - yet. Nor will it be for a long time. We are still heavily invested in coal and natural gas to generate energy. But there is good news: U.S. Solar Surges in Record-Breaking Quarter.

Here in El Paso we know that El Paso Electric will ask for a rate hike very soon in January. They will probably go after rooftop solar again perhaps next summer. I'm still in favor of some kind of subsidy for those who install solar - a break on their property tax or a refund. Maybe it is time to deregulate the energy industry in El Paso. Let EPEC go head to head with the solar industry.

Mary Kipp

From Kipp takes over as EP Electric CEO by Vic Kolenc, El Paso Times
Photo by Victor Calzada

Earlier this week I met with the CEO of El Paso Electric, Mary Kipp. The time with her was not just informative but delightful. She has a very spontaneous, often perverse (in a fun way) sense of humor. I told her why I thought that EPEC was wrong regarding their policy toward rooftop solar and she shared her perspective.

The exchange was something akin to a Biology 101 student (me) speaking with a neurosurgeon (her). What I really discovered was that I was discussing solar energy with a fellow environmentalist - not a clandestine agent for the nefarious oil tycoons. (I also learned that Tom Shockley was not the evil minion of the Koch boys. Sorry, Tom.)

From PSEG El Paso Electric Solar Farm Inauguration,
El Paso Inc.
Photo from photo collection by Melody Parra

To be sure, we do have some differences of opinion. To solve the problem of carbon emissions (and, therefore, climate change), Kipp sees flaws in the rooftop solar approach. I was impressed with her sincerity and didn't see her thoughts on rooftop as being excuses to crush the competitors. Saying that she is an advocate of solar energy is an understatement.

If there was a flaw in her argument, it may have been because she was talking about solar in the context of the continuing existence of electrical utilities. (If I'm wrong, she can correct me the next time that we speak.) I still maintain that electric utilities are dinosaurian and already selected for extinction. More localized systems (perhaps as local as a single residence itself), are the future IMHO.

She did recommend that I read Bill McKibben's book, eaarth. I promised her that I would order it rightaway which I did. Thanks to Amazon Prime, it was at my doorstep this morning.

There is no doubt that EPEC's becoming coal free is the work of Shockley and the CEO whom he mentored: Mary Kipp. EPEC will even celebrate becoming coal free in a public event on Wednesday, August 3rd at 9:30 AM in the San Jacinto Plaza. It's a must attend.

Click on image to enlarge.

During our meeting Ms. Kipp was pleasantly straight forward. However, I do think that she misinformed me about one thing. She claimed that on her last birthday that she is older than she really is. I'm pretty sure that her Board would still approve of a 30ish CEO and take her knowledge, experience and expertise and not her age as the reasons to have made her CEO of EPEC.

Rodriguez Opposed to EPEC's Attempt to Destroy Solar

[Below is a press release from Senator Rodriguez's office issued earlier today. I have been told to expect more details about "a news conference Monday where multiple experts, customers, workers and others with expertise or experience with solar energy will be available to discuss the issue further."]

Sen. Rodríguez: Solar energy benefits El Paso, EPE proposal does not

El Paso - State Sen. José Rodríguez today announced his opposition to a proposal by El Paso Electric (EPE) that would create a new fee for customers who have solar panels installed on their homes as well as increase their rates by 24 percent. He urged the El Paso City Council to reject the proposal. [See attached letter.]

"I have long been an advocate for advancing public policy that incentivizes the growth of renewable sources of energy in Texas, including solar. To that end, I passed legislation in 2011 (S.B. 1910) that established solar net metering in EPE's Texas service area," Rodríguez said. "Consistent with that history, I cannot now remain silent when the utility's current proposal may well undo the deliberate progress El Paso has made in truly realizing its potential as the 'Sun City,' a leader in solar energy for the rest of Texas."

Solar energy is a growing field in El Paso, with nearly 300 customers added since August alone, bringing the number of households with rooftop power generation to nearly 800. Additionally, some builders in the area have begun to add solar panels as standard equipment on new affordable housing. This helps reduce a homeowner's electric bill while also reducing the power load on the grid, which benefits everyone. It also promotes economic development with high-paying jobs.

The Senator outlined his opposition to the proposed increase in a letter to City Council; the Council will review EPE's proposal targeting solar customers in early December. The proposal is part of a rate case in which the company seeks to raise overall residential rates by about 12 percent. It is based on the assertion that customers with rooftop solar energy generation burden the power grid because they require service from EPE during times when the sun is not as strong—in winter, or on cloudy days, for example. However, rooftop solar customers also lessen demand on the grid because they produce energy during the hottest times of year—in the summer, when the sun is shining during periods of peak demand.

"To be clear, I would not oppose charging solar customers in a different manner, provided that manner fairly and accurately accounted for a customer's actual cost to EPE while also taking into account the value these customers add," Rodríguez said. "However, at present, I do not think it's appropriate to apply a steep demand charge, usually reserved for commercial actors, to a neighborhood home. This effectively punishes that customer for choosing to invest in solar." 

Oil, Gas and Solar Industries

Do we need the oil and gas industries? The answer is an obvious "yes". In fact, I'll go further. I am grateful to these industries. After all, I drive a car powered by an internal combustion engine that burns gasoline. I drive on streets paved with asphalt. Polymers are ubiquitous in my lifestyle. 

However, I have four problems with the fossil fuel industries. First, they do contribute more to climate change than alternative sources such as solar for example. Next, they do extraordinary violence to the environment and to the earth. Fracking and oil sands (tar sands) productions are the most vile of Orcs. Third, they are more politically powerful than each of us who cast a vote. They wield that power to stifle the free market of competition. That is why the Koch Boys want to help utilities across the country destroy the rooftop solar industry. Finally, like so many things in our consumer economy, oil and gas is overused. This final objection is really not about the fossil fuel industries but about our choices as consumers. 

To be sure, the production of photovoltaic panels is not as clean and green as we would want. However, changes occurring in that industry are moving in the direction of being cleaner. Recycling toxic compounds has become more of the standard than the exception. Better yet, less or non-toxic compounds are being substituted for nastier chemicals. There is a small amount of water used in the production of photovoltaics since other fluids are used. Finally it is becoming increasingly the case that photovoltaics are powering photovoltaic plants and not natural gas meaning that the industry is decreasing their carbon footprint. To be sure, there is much more to be done. 

Keep in mind that our consumption of fossil fuels is principally as an energy source. If you take a barrel of oil, only 7% of it is used for non-energy products: petrochemicals, pharmaceuticals, rubber, etc. 

So, is the fossil fuel industry a bad guy? No except when they use their vast wealth to crush competition, buy state legislators to pass laws against local governments putting restrictions on fracking and wreak havoc on the environment. Still, in the final analysis, the finger must be pointed at you and me who make consumer choices that provide the market for any industry to run a profitable business. That is why I am all for an unstifled market place by powerful interests such as the oil and gas lobbies. That is also why I'm trying as a consumer to make better choices and live greener while realizing that there are and always will be trade-offs.

San Antonio's Energy Utility Offers Unique Solar Program

Image from SolarHostSA

"What does it mean to be a solar host? Much like private ownership of solar systems, a homeowner or business would “host” a solar system on their roof. The difference with SolarHosting is that the homeowner or business owner, YOU, would not pay anything at all to have the system installed and maintained.

"This means that you don’t have to afford solar in order to see the benefits of the solar generation. It also means that as a CPS Energy customer, you would be doing your part to help the community meet our Renewable Energy Goals. That means that CPS Energy won’t have to build another traditional power plant. Instead, your rooftop along with all of the other hosts’ will be the power plant. Pretty cool right!?"

Pretty cool indeed. It's a program in San Antonio called SolarHostSA. SolarHostSA is a pilot project launched by PowerFin Partners and CPS Energy, the nation's largest municipally owned energy utility. It "will allow participants to host PV systems on their rooftops in exchange for credits on their energy bill." Read more from PV Magazine HERE.

Obviously San Antonio's utility gets it. They won't have to build more traditional power plants because rooftop solar will be the power plants. To be sure home and business owners will not own the panels - they will, as the program says, host the panels. I sure would have liked to have been the sales person at PowerFin who worked out this deal.

I don't want to praise CPS too much. It was only yesterday that they admitted to a large crowd of angry people that they had overcharged them with smart meters. Nevertheless they are finding innovative ways to produce and save energy at low customer rates. One of their more innovative products (and this should be a no-brainer even for Shockley and Kipp) are electric vehicle charging stations. 

El Paso is probably stuck with EPEC for the foreseeable future. After all, the City can't just take over the utility à la People's or Banana Republic style. You can also imagine what would happen if, in some improbable fashion, the City managed to purchase EPEC. Imagine how much your property taxes would skyrocket then. Larry Romero could pave all sorts of streets for his cronies. It just would be good to see EPEC adopt a business plan that incentivized solar and found more products to sell and make their shareholders happy - and their customers too.

To be sure, CPS Energy is also trying to maintain control of solar energy by using homes and businesses as production stations. Besides SolarHostSA there is another program for those without photovoltaic panels to buy "shares" in a solar farm and receive credit on their bills. The more shares owned, the more credit. CPS's solar programs will mean lower rates for customers.

I may be wrong, but I'm sure that SolarHostSA users will not be able to save the electricity they produce with batteries. CPS is not wanting people to get off their grid. Still it must be conceded that, in time, all utilities to one degree or another will either be obsolete or redundant. Bettter home energy storage technology is on its way. And one day the pricing will be quite affordable. 

Next let's look at Houston where the electrical customer can choose among different power companies and see how those companies promote alternative energy especially photovoltaics.


Please support the work of elpasonaturally.

For-Profit El Paso Electric Company Is Bad for El Paso

You can see this sign in Bisbee, Arizona but not in El Paso, Texas

Besides the obvious that El Paso Electric Company is joining with utilities around the country, the Koch Boys and ALEC to crush the rooftop photovoltaic industry, why else will you not see the sign above in El Paso for the foreseeable future.

Bisbee, a town of between 5,000 and 6,000 souls, a once-thriving turquoise and copper mining town and the place today for a great blues festival, is also part of an electrical cooperative, the Sulphur Springs Valley Electric Cooperative. "Sulphur Springs Valley Electric Cooperative is a non-profit, member-owned distribution cooperative providing electricity to more than 51,000 services over some 4,100 miles of energized line. Located in southeastern Arizona, the cooperative’s service territory covers parts of Cochise, Graham, Pima and Santa Cruz Counties and includes the communities of Sierra Vista, Huachuca City, Patagonia, Elfrida, Benson, St. David, Bowie, San Simon, Willcox, Sonoita and Pearce-Sunsites."

SSVEC offers a member discount card that can be used at local stores and services. They have energy efficiency programs and programs for youth. They also have a renewable energy program which offers incentives to reward the use of solar energy. 

SSVEC is a non-profit co-op. EPEC is a for-profit organization. EPEC is there to benefit the shareholders not the ratepayers. Nothing wrong with that except that they use their power (pardon the pun) to quash innovation and protect their financial interests. EPEC does not serve the interests of El Paso and cannot as a for-profit corporation.

I believe that it was Ann Lilly who, a few years ago, actually proposed that El Paso have a municipal utility. Hmmm?

Tomorrow, we'll look at CPS Energy of San Antonio.


Support the work of elpasonaturally.

Joe Biden Speaks Out for Solar

["On September 16, 2015 U.S. Vice President Joe Biden addressed the Solar Power International trade show in Las Vegas. He is the most senior government official to speak at a solar trade show to date." This video is well worth watching the entire 35 minutes. If you receive elpasonaturally by email, the embedded video will not show. Go to www.elpasonaturally.blogspot.com to view.]

Solar Customers Subsidize El Paso Electric Company

Future of El Paso Electric

Taking a page from the Koch brothers and groups such as ALEC, El Paso Electric claims that solar users are "free loaders" or "free riders" subsidized by themselves while relying on non-solar users to expand and maintain the grid. 

The free loader is El Paso Electric Company.

Basic Points On How Solar Saves The Utility Money:

1. Solar users sell electricity back to the utility at 2.5 cents and El Paso Electric Company (EPEC) resells it to their neighbors for 10+ cents. 
2. Solar reduces transmission and distribution costs on the grid.
3. It reduces wear and tear on other equipment on the grid such as transformers, etc. 
4. It reduces man hours and other equipment costs to repair the grid.
5. Solar is produced and used onsite: no carbon, no water, no use of the grid when consuming 100% of solar. Therefore solar users are not adding wear and tear to the grid which saves the utility money. 
6. Solar uses no water. How much water does it take to frack a gas well? How much water is used at each gas plant across our city to produce electricity?  We are in the desert!  Water matters and solar saves water!
7. Environmental savings include clean air and clean, more abundant water. 
8. Solar creates JOBS. Solar is the 21st century solution to energy independence. Solar creates commerce, which puts more meters on EPEC’s grid which is a good thing for them too! Solar will create more jobs, more students, more meters, and more revenue for the city.  We could become a hub for new manufacturing jobs such as Solar Plants, Inverter Plants, Racking Plants, etc. 
9. Solar helps reduce peak loads especially with western-facing solar energy systems. El Pasoans should be asking for a large rebate for any western-facing rooftops which would reduce load significantly from 3 PM to 7 PM every day of the year.  There is already a case study on this in Austin, Texas at the old Mueller Airport. It's called the Pecan Street Project.  Look up the solar neighborhood, they received larger rebates for western roofs, offset over 1MW of residential solar during peak and saves the city millions over 25 years. If we all did this across the city, we could reduce load.  Utility batteries are also a huge solution to peak load that would reduce our overall utility costs as well as reduce the rates for everyone. 
10. Geothermal heat pumps on all AC units city wide could be a new rebate program!  This would encourage more job growth and reduce peak loads all summer long during the heaviest peak month. This would reduce the need for some of our current power plants and would reduce yearly peak. 
11. Home battery backup systems could also be setup to shave every home’s peak demand from 3 PM to 7 PM year round.  This could cut peak to 250,000 homes in El Paso alone.  Peak doesn’t seem so scary now and seems much easier to solve, but they want 50-year power plants with 10% guaranteed rates of return from rate payers.  El Pasoans must get them to shut down plants and not keep building!  We need solar and wind farms, geothermal rebates, energy efficiency rebates, etc. These will create jobs, grow the city, and grow the utility's revenue long term. 
12. Answers exist, but EPEC ignores them instead of innovating and expanding beyond antiquated business model ideas.

Say NO to El Paso Electric

I wrote the following text for a change.org petition yesterday afternoon. Eco El Paso (along with elpasonaturally) is sponsoring the petition.

El Paso Electric Company's proposed rate hikes are not just a burden on all rate payers such as yourself but punish those who use solar panels and discourage the use of clean, renewable solar energy. The utility argues that added infrastructure costs are not shared equitably because solar users are not buying all of their electricity from them. Yet, if more people used clean, alternative photovoltaic solar power, there would be no need for added infrastructure - power lines and power stations. The simple fact is that El Paso Electric Company wants you to buy all of your electrical energy from them and they want you to buy more of it. And, btw, traditional electrical production requires massive amounts of water - a very scarce resource for all of us. Photovoltaic solar power uses just enough water to clean off the panels maybe twice per year.Support solar energy. Support conservation. Tell the Mayor and City Council of El Paso to say NO to EPEC's request for higher rates on all of us.

When I created the change.org petition yesterday, I told just a few people. I had not posted it to social media yet. I hadn't blogged about it. Almost instantly it got 83 supporters. Let's see what happens now that the news starts getting out.

Go HERE to say HELL NO to El Paso Electric's rate hike proposal. Spread the word.

El Paso Electric Hates It When You Generate Your Own Electricity

From elpasoinc.com

The El Paso Electric Company hates it when you generate your own electricity. Their current rate hike requests penalize users of solar energy. Read Robert Gray's El Paso Inc. story, Solar customers worry about rate case: Electric utility proposes big jump for power generators. See the rate hike chart above.

EPEC argues that people who use solar power are subsidizing those users who do not. EPEC has to build and maintain power stations, electric poles, etc. and that costs money especially as more homes and commercial buildings get built, more sprawl is created and more homes and other buildings use central air. Obviously if you aren't using solar, you are paying more for the power grid than someone who is paying less. The same argument can be made about people who turn off lights when not needed, turn up the thermostat in the summer, turn-off computers and so forth. EPEC isn't really encouraging conservation.

Imagine a scenario where everyone generates electricity during the day with their solar panels. At night that electricity goes back to the grid - in effect, thousands of electric generators. There would be little need to build more power stations and there would probably be a shut down of some stations or else less use of those stations. Less water for steam and cooling. Less use of fossil fuels. What's the matter with that?

Simple. Less electricity produced by EPEC means less that they sell to you and me and, therefore, less money that they will make. Sure they want you to conserve up to a point. They don't want to spend too much on power peaks. However, they don't want you to conserve too much nor produce your own electricity. In case of the latter, they want to punish you rather than incentivize the renewable energy that you make.

What should happen is that the city of El Paso (or any city) should take over the electric utility. Encourage renewables by charging people with solar panels less. Discourage over use. Cut back on infrastructure such as power stations. The city doesn't have to make money on the commodity of electricity. They can encourage home production of power with renewable sources.

EPEC's power grab (pun intended) is going on with utilities around the country. Led by folks such as the Koch Brothers, the industry is fighting what they call "freeloaders" - people who use solar and sell back to the grid. Of course, freeloader has the additional meaning of someone who mooches and steals - how the utilities want you to think about people with solar energy. If there are more people using solar without paying a higher rate and getting less back for the electricity that goes back to the grid, there is less power to sell and less fossil fuels to be purchased from folks like the Koch boys.

What EPEC and the electric industry knows and fears is this: they are going the way of the telephone or the television cable companies. They are going the way of the horse and buggy. They are going the way of the dinosaur. Cell phone technology replaced the need for a grid of millions of miles of wires. More people are streaming rather than buying dozens of television channels that they never watch. More people will either get off the grid or go to micro-grids. (Watch out when battery technology improves and gets cheaper.)

Finally, as far as laws that prevent people from getting off the grid are concerned, the day will come when enough people will not care a rat's ass. It is or once was a free country not ruled by an oligarchy of powerful fossil fuel companies and their corps of crony capitalists.


Please support elpasonaturally©. Go HERE to donate and help turn El Paso "green".

Solar Power the Sun City

Whether it is the Texas Utility Commission or El Paso Electric, the Sun City gets a tiny fraction of its electrical energy from solar power.  The El Paso Times did a front page story yesterday that has caused some buzz: El Paso solar grid is one of Texas' weakest.  The story is based on an Environment Texas report, Reaching for the Sun.  You can download and read the full report here.

Austin and San Antonio combined use nearly 90% of utility-supported solar power in the state.  El Paso, the Sun City? 1.42%!  One point four two percent!  

The Times story yesterday was followed up today by David Burge of the Times about the first round of homes at Ft. Bliss with solar panels: Solar panels rise on Ft. Bliss homes: Step to energy self-sufficiency.

The above info should be set in the context of some really powerful trends: the decentralization of energy and going off the grid.  Read this post by David Roberts: The next big thing in energy: Decentralization.  Also read his Energy democracy: Three ways to bring solar to the masses.

This is a good time to get to know the El Paso Solar Energy Association or like them on Facebook. 

I'm not finger pointing at anyone.  However, I do want to see El Paso leap ahead with solar energy and energy self-sufficiency.  As windy as it gets around here this time of year, we still aren't really a windy city; but we are the Sun City.  Time to shine.

El Paso Electric Penalizes Rate Payers for Solar Power

Don't believe El Paso Electric Company's claim on their home web page. You will see a rolling banner that includes solar panels and the copy "Renewable Energy: Improving our environment through renewable energy programs." Truth is that they don't just discourage residential use of solar energy - they penalize it! (EPEC's bogus marketing claims reminds one of the misrepresentations by PSB/EPWU in their expensive public relations campaign against natural open space.)

EPEC makes the installation and use of solar panels by residents uneconomical. They are also stealing electrical power from homeowners with solar panels or charging ratepayers with solar panels a $15/month surcharge.

One rate-payer (and an engineer) who recently installed solar panels gave me this report [emphases mine]:

We attended a meeting with Evan Evans and other representatives of El Paso Electric where the rate schedule for homeowners with residential solar systems was explained.

Until March, 2011 El Paso Electric was billing using “net metering” where the meter runs forward and backward depending upon production and use of electricity. Residents with solar systems would then pay only for their electricity use in excess of the amount produced by the solar panels. The Electric Company says that in July, 2010 they obtained approval from the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) for Rate Schedule 48. This schedule says that they can a) charge $15/month extra, b) charge the residential customer full cost for any electricity used (~$0.12/kW-hr, and c) pay the customer ~$0.025/kW-hr for any electricity produced. Although I have not seen the paperwork, homeowners are also offered the option of not being charged the extra $15/month but at the same time not receiving payment for any produced electricity. That is, whenever the solar panels produce more than the residence uses, the extra goes back to the electric company for no compensation – nice deal for the utility.

While Mr. Evans attempted to keep his answers factually accurate, his accuracy is uncertain; factually accurate is also not the same as fair and unbiased. When asked why we have this rate schedule we were told that the PUC has dictated these rates. In fact, rate schedules are negotiated with the PUC by the Electric Company. Why would any company, with true interest in solar power negotiate a rate schedule that makes solar systems uneconomic?

Solar systems produce during the highest demand hours of the day, when electricity is most valuable. When Mr. Evans was asked why the Electric Company pays so little for the produced power, given the optimal timing, his response was that it’s really not true that power is more expensive during the day, but rather that it’s cheaper at night! Those of us, who have studied logic, believe that’s exactly the same thing – but remember, these are the folks who brought us rolling blackouts this winter. The fact is that El Paso Electric charges its large customers an energy charge that increases by a factor of 18 during peak demand time relative to off peak hours (see Schedule 25: http://www.epelectric.com/files/html/Rates/TX_Business/Schedule_No_25_-_Large_Power_Service_Rate.pdf ).

So let’s see now: Solar power produced during peak demand hours has a very low value . . . but the surcharge for margin power used during the same time period has an 18X cost factor?

The net effect is that, despite the appearance of solar panels on the El Paso Electric web site, the solar option in the El Paso Electric portions of Texas is effectively dead. For residential systems, a very small set of solar panels (enough to meet minimum household daylight hours demand) would result in small monthly electricity cost reductions – but small systems tend to be uneconomic because some of the fixed charges of system setup greatly increase installation costs per kW. Larger systems are clearly uneconomic.

Here's a similar report about the meeting from a science teacher [again, emphases are mine]:

As you may know, EPE invited all of its solar customers to a 7 p.m. meeting on 24March at Stanton Tower to discuss changes in billing procedures. It turned out to be a pretty rancorous meeting that painted EPE in a very poor light. There were many angry people. Briefly, here is the story.

When I signed on in January 2009, I was credited on a PER MONTH basis for kWh that I was ahead ( sort of like putting them in a bank account). Once I had exhausted any credits I would be billed at the normal rate for any kWh I owed for the month. I also paid the standard monthly $4.50 residential customer charge since I was still, of course, hooked up to the grid. This resulted in my paying EPE about 90 dollars for electricity the first year.

Last spring, the billing changed some – less favorable to me in ways, but still fair I felt. Again, on a PER MONTH basis, I would be charged for net kWh consumed at the rate all of us pay for electricity, the retail rate. On months when I was a net producer I would be paid the wholesale rate for my excess kWh. I would also, of course, continue to pay the customer charge. Since I have not received a bill of any kind from EPE in the last 13 months(!) I don't know my exact bill in that time, but it would be in the 80 dollar range for that time frame. This would be less than the first year, mostly due to conservation efforts made here at the house.

Now the new situation: EPE is now monitoring net kWh on a TWO HOUR BLOCK basis, even though the bills (should I ever see one) are done monthly. Here is how this works: at night, when I am of course a net user, I will be billed for the net sum of kWh consumed based on the two hour blocks. At night, then, I am treated much like any other customer. During the day, I have a "choice" of two "options". I can pay a smaller customer charge – in the five to seven dollar/month range – and EPE will just take for free my net kWh production during the daylight hours. My other "choice" is to pay a $15 monthly charge, but then EPE will buy my daily two hour block excesses for $.025/kWh (the wholesale rate). I actually come out better on the first option, but it will turn my annual 80 dollar bill into something in the $250-300 range and ensure that EPE will get something from me every month, even those months when I make several hundred more kWh than I consume. Even days like today, when I will make 10 or so more kWh than I will use, I will have to pay them. This makes bona fide contractors look, at best, confused, and, at worst, complicit. It makes the payback period much longer and not really economically feasible for the homeowner. It cripples the growth of solar (by the individual at least) here in El Paso. All of this comes from EPE, which claims still and did so repeatedly at the meeting, to be FOR the individual solar customers. All this from EPE, whose lack of foresight in the deep freeze caused great, and unnecessary, financial damage.

Two comments: EPEC must have to pay for its $100,000 raise it is giving CEO David Stevens.

It also may be high time that we find ways to get off the grid and really live more sustainably. Find some ideas at Off Grid: Free Yourself. Here's a blog to follow. I predict that in the next few years, a getting homes and businesses off grid will become a huge growth industry. Here's one such house now where the owner not only lives off the grid but sustainably in other ways:

Off the Grid from Nick Hillyard on Vimeo.

David Stevens and his solar power penalizing company will just have to go begging for customers.

Incentives for Solar Power

Elpasonaturally previously reported about attempts to win incentives for solar power from the El Paso Electric Company. Last week City Council by vote requested that a team from the City and the Electric Company do a bit more negotiating to provide better incentives. The issue should come up again at the regular Council meeting on June 8.

You can read the El Paso Times story about the postponement and their editorial in favor of holding out for a better deal for those who wish to install solar panels.

Here is an excellent presentation by Jim Paton, teacher and member of the Audubon Society, on the reasons for and benefits of going solar:

Going Solar

Incentives Now for Solar Energy in El Paso

La Greenga is taking charge on this issue so please follow her blog. Here's the issue:

The El Paso Electric Company wants to raise your rates. If their proposal is approved by the Public Utility Regulation Board of the City of El Paso and the Public Utility Commission of Texas, then you will be paying almost $6 more per month for electricity. (See the El Paso Times story.)

Marie Gilot (La Greenga) and others had the great idea that the rate hike should be tied to an incentive for renewable, solar energy. There should be an upfront rebate on the installation of PV (Photovoltaic) systems and any other renewable energy system such as wind turbines in the amount of $2.50 per watt which works out to a $7,500 rebate for a 3kW System which is the average size of such a system in El Paso. El Paso Electric pays its New Mexico solar homeowners a 12-cent per kW/h rebate for each kilowatt/hour of solar electricity they generate. But El Paso Electric has no Renewable Energy Credit payment program for El Pasoans.

This seems to be a no-brainer and the way renewable energy systems are encouraged in other cities across the country. Why not here?

So, what can you do?

The office of Joe Moody has put together a Rate Case Letter and is asking members of the public to sign it. To do so, just email Amy at Joe Moody's office and say you want to sign the Rate Case Letter. Amy's email is amy.morales@house.state.tx.us.

The text of the letter is on Marie's blog.

Tell Amy that you want to be a signator before May 10 when the Public Utility Regulation Board will take-up the rate hike proposal again. They will meet at 7 a.m. in the El Paso City Council Chambers. (Read Marie's blog entry about what happened at the last meeting and the plans to bring the rate hike back up on the 10th.) You may also want to be present or speak about this important matter - this no-brainer.

Read Marie's Solar Page. There is so much information there.