South Carolina Tries, Tries Again To Reach Solar Compromise

By Frank Andorka, Senior Correspondent

What Happened: After utilities snuck in the back door and stabbed a bill that would have eliminated a nonsensical net metering cap to death, solar advocates are trying one last Hail Mary in an attempt to save solar jobs in the Palmetto State.

  • As you know (if you read SolarWakeup, anyway), South Carolina’s House of Representatives voted overwhelmingly in favor a bill that would have eliminated the state’s insanely low 2% net metering cap.
  • Then the utilities did the aforementioned stabbing, lobbying for (and getting) the bill to be changed into a “tax increase,” which would have required a two-thirds supermajority vote in the Senate. It did not get the votes, and it seemed like net metering – and to a large extent, the solar industry – in the state was dead.
  • But on Wednesday night, Amendment 9 was attached to the House Budget bill and passed. Amendment 9 wouldn’t eliminate the cap, but would raise it from 2% to 4%.

    • South Carolina solar compromise

    SolarWakeup’s View:  There is one last South Carolina solar compromise working its way through the state’s House of Representatives. It’s a final chance to save the solar industry in this session.

    If you’re a regular reader of SolarWakeup (and if you’re not, you should be), you know the chicanery surrounding the state’s attempts to eliminate its insanely low 2% cap on net metering. The bill overwhelmingly passed the House but was scuttled in the Senate, thanks to the last-minute machinations of the state’s powerful utilities.

    But if at first you don’t succeed, sneak a South Carolina solar compromise into the budget bill and hope it survives the House-Senate conference committee (at least I think that’s how that goes).

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    That’s the strategy the House is currently trying, putting something called Amendment 9 into the budget bill that is now going to conference committee. It’s not as good as the bill last month – it won’t eliminate the net metering cap entirely – but it will double the cap from 2% to 4%, keeping the state’s burgeoning solar industry alive for at least another year.

    “Last nig​ht’s​ vote is an important and welcome step forward for energy freedom in South Carolinam” said Thad Culley, Regional Director at Vote Solar. “Recent months revealed both the enormous support from residents, businesses, and organizations across the political spectrum for clean energy options, lower utility bills and 3,000 solar jobs in South Carolina, and the lengths that utility monopolies will go to undermine all three.

    “We thank House leaders and Rep. Ballentine for working across the aisle to pass a commonsense measure to keep solar shining in South Carolina,” he added. “We now look to lawmakers in the budget conference committee to take all solar measures across the finish line and ensure that solar can remain a bright spot in South Carolina’s economy.”

    It’s not perfect, but at least it’s something. Now get on the phones and let legislators know you want the South Carolina solar compromise kept in the final bill.

    More:

    Net Metering Gets a Lifeline in South Carolina

    Utility Monopolies Screw SC Solar After Sneaky Shift On Bill

    South Carolina Sends Solar Soaring With Cap Removal