Net measurement in New Mexico is a set of state public policies governing relationships between solar customers (and customers with other types of renewable energy systems) and utility power companies.
Video Net metering in New Mexico
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Definition
Net measurement refers to the interconnection of renewable energy systems to the power grid. This allows consumers who have their own renewable power plant system to connect to the power grid with a rotating power meter forwards and backward, depending on whether the consumer adds energy to the grid or uses energy from the grid. At the end of the month, the customer bill is based on the amount of net power taken from the grid, minus the credits for excess power put into the grid.
In New Mexico, customers who have systems that generate up to 80 MW of electricity can register for net measurements. This is the highest megawatt allowed for net measurements in the United States.
The three main utilities in New Mexico are PNM, Xcel Energy and El Paso Electric.
Benefits of net measurement
One of the benefits of net measurements is that strength is never wasted. When someone uses an isolated system that uses a fully charged battery while the system still generates power, the excess power is wasted.
The producer, business, and operations of the customer's industry may be eligible for net measurement. Customer-generators have the added benefit of selling renewable energy credits (REC) back to their utilities. (The customer generator is a small producer - which is not a clean, electric utility measured and connected to an electrical grid, for example the homeowner who puts solar panels on the roof.)
Solar vs. solar scale residential solar
The utility-scale solar facility is a large facility that produces solar power and drives that power to the power grid. Almost every utility-scale solar facility has what is known as a power purchase agreement with utilities. This agreement guarantees the market for utility-scale solar energy facilities for a specified period of time. (The residential solar system is not considered utility scale).
The size of utility-scale facilities may vary. For example, some utility-scale facilities only provide enough power per megawatt to drive several hundred average homes. Others offer more energy. Factors that play a role in this are location, type of technology used, and availability of sunlight.
For example, even though it is not located in New Mexico, the San Francisco "Sunset Reservoir" Energy Project generates 5 megawatts of solar energy. Built on a closed reservoir in central San Francisco. It is considered a utility scale utility facility.
Maps Net metering in New Mexico
How it works
The advantages of net generation
For customers with solar systems that can generate 10 kilowatts or less, utility companies have a choice in how they compensate these customers to generate net surplus. Utilities can give customers credit on the next bill equal to utility energy levels (utility fees pay for own electricity), or credit customers for the electrical kilowatt hours they provide back to utilities over the network.
Technical
In New Mexico, there are some technical requirements for a net measurement system connected to a network. First, the net measurement system must have a visible means of disconnecting the select utility is to disconnect to the working system. Secondly, a clean meter is required and cost no more than $ 20. Thirdly, there needs to be an inverter that disconnects when the network dies.
The system capacity limit is 80 megawatts.
Feasibility
In New Mexico, the types of renewable technologies that are eligible for net measurements are as follows:
- Combined Heat & amp; Power
- Fuel cells use Unsubsided Fuel
- Fuel cells use Renewable Fuel
- Geothermal Power
- Hydroelectric
- Hydroelectric (Small)
- Landfill gas
- Microturbines
- City densely packed
- Solar photovoltaic
- Solar heat power
- Wind (All), Biomass
- Wind (Small)
Sectors that can use net measurements include commercial, industrial, local government, nonprofit organizations, residential homes, schools, state and federal, agricultural, and institutional governments.
The type of utility that can participate in net measurements is the utility of investors and electric cooperatives.
The participating utilities are utilities owned by investors and electric cooperatives. When a customer leaves the utility, the utility must pay the customer for unused credit.
Availability and jurisdiction
According to DSIRE, "Net measurements are available for all" qualification facilities "(QFs), as defined by the Federal Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 (PURPA), relating to renewable and combined heat and power systems up to 80 megawatts (MW ) in capacity There is no statewide restriction on the aggregate capacity of the net-meter system. "
In addition, all utilities that are subject to regulation under the jurisdiction of the Public Regulatory Commission (PRC) must offer a net measurement. The city utilities, which are not regulated by the PRC, are excluded.
Solar in New Mexico
Growth
In New Mexico, falling prices for the solar system are pushing the market for it. Many homeowners and commercial companies buy solar power systems to help offset an increase in utility bills. More financing options are available today in New Mexico, more solar companies are competing, and this leads to an increase in market penetration.
Growth is predicted at 20% per year. In early 2016, the market in the United States for solar power systems has reached 1 million solar installations. This is equivalent to generating enough electricity to power 5.4 million homes, according to the National Solar Energy Industry Association.
According to the Albuquerque Journal , "New Mexico is ranked 8th in the country in terms of solar capacity installed per capita." It is estimated that the solar power market in New Mexico accounts for only about 10% of market penetration.
Solar capacity and statistics
According to the Albuquerque Journal, by the end of 2015, New Mexico has about 400 megawatts of installed capacity.It includes 85 MW of residential and commercial systems, and 316 MW of utility-scale generation scattered throughout the New Mexico public utility service area and electric cooperatives. "
For all solar capacity installed in New Mexico, New Mexico Public Service Company accounts for about 41% of it. Their facility includes 15 different projects with a total capacity of 107 MW, which, according to the company, provides an adequate power of 140,000 average homes.
New Mexico needs public utilities to get 15% of their power plants from renewable sources. That number will increase to 20% by 2020.
Within the state, 60 different contractors and installation companies operate. These companies include national companies such as SolarCity and ZingSolar.
Consumer incentives
Country tax credit
By the end of 2016, New Mexico offers 10% state tax credits for solar installations. Tax credit begins in 2008.
Solar companies operating in New Mexico say they are okay to absorb the loss of state tax credits, which means that they do not believe it will affect their business. However, in addition to the loss of tax credits, the payment of renewable energy from utilities to customers also declined.
Federal tax credit
In addition to the state tax credits, which ended, the US government granted a 30 percent tax credit for solar installations. In December 2015, Congress extended the program to the end of 2019.
Payment from utilities
PNM and El Paso Electric Co. in southern New Mexico pay customers for every kilowatt hour of electricity they generate from their solar system. These payments help customers and businesses offset the cost of installing their solar system.
In addition to payments, these companies offer net measurements. Under net measurements, people with solar systems can sell their excess electricity back to the power company at a price equal to the utility that pays its own electricity. Keep in mind that net measurements are a separate payment system from renewed payments offered back to customers.
For example, 7,100 subscribers have signed up for a renewal payment from a PNM utility. By 2014, that number is only 4,400 customers.
Payments from utilities back to customers decreased from $ 0.13 per kilowatt hour in 2009 to $ 0.025 by the end of 2015. By mid 2016, PNM stopped accepting new applications because the number of people looking for more credits than money was available in the program.
According to DSIRE, a program operated by NC Clean Energy Technology Center at North Carolina State University funded by the US Department of Energy, "If a customer has a NEG [net energy generation] for a total of less than $ 50 during the monthly billing period, the surplus is brought to the bill the next monthly subscriber. If NEG exceeds $ 50 during the monthly bill period, the utility will pay customers in the next month for excess.
"The energy level to be paid for the energy supplied by the QF [qualification facility] in any month is the rate of the corresponding month of the current utility schedule in the file with the PRC.Each utility must file with its PRC schedule containing the monthly energy tariffs that will apply for the next twelve months. "
Solar installation price
According to a study by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, prices for installation of household scale solar and utility plants fell by more than 50 percent between 2008 and 2014. By 2015, prices are down 17 percent again.
By 2017, the New Mexico housing system averaged 4.4 kilowatts worth about $ 17,000 before tax credits and other incentives. After credit and incentives, the system will cost approximately $ 11,900. In 2009, the same system cost $ 30,000. If consumers choose to finance the system, they can pay about $ 99 per month.
Regulatory rules
In New Mexico there are two major rules governing the interconnection of the solar system to utility networks:
- NMPRC 570 Rules (general interconnection of qualified facilities - larger solar power production facilities)
- NMPRC 571 Rule (net measurement for small renewable energy systems)
According to the New Mexico Solar Energy Association, "These rules apply wherever the electricity service is regulated by the PRC, including areas served by four New Mexico-owned utility investors (IOUs) (which includes Santa Fe and Albuquerque for example), and service area by electric cooperatives.This excludes municipal utilities (such as Los Alamos and Farmington), which are self-regulated. "
Additionally, "If the net measured facility uses more power than it generates during the billing period, the utility can charge customers for the net power used in accordance with the tariff structure that will be applied to the customer if they are not connected as net-usage -metering."
The future of net measurements in New Mexico
The solar industry in New Mexico faces obstacles. Most utilities want to reduce incentives like net measurements and bill more customers who have the solar system. The reason they want to do this is because utilities retain their role in generating, transmitting and distributing electricity through distribution channels, and other fixed costs remain unchanged. They argue that solar customers do not contribute financially to the fixed costs.
References
External links
Specific utility information about net measurements can be found at the following websites:
- PNM Resources (NM Public Service Company) - No. Riders. 24
- Xcel Energy (Southwest Public Service Company) - Tariff No. 3018.33
- El Paso Electric Company - Ranked # 16
- Farmington City - Level No. 17
Rule:
- Title 17: General Utilities and Utility Services. Chapter 9: Electrical Services. Section 570: Regulating Cogeneration And Small Power Production
Incentives:
- New Mexico Incentives for Customer's Solar Photovoltaic System
Program:
- PNM Customers Energi Matahari Program
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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