Senate Bill 463, the 169 page energy bill released a few days ago, seems to be pitting traditional energy businesses against new clean energy businesses. As part of a press conference yesterday, the Connecticut Citizen Action Group displayed a poster identifying the bill’s biggest supporters and opponents (below).
Background on the Bill For background on what the bill proposes, see: - The nonpartisan Office of Legislative Research summary here - CT News Junkie and CT Mirror articles here and here - This morning’s Hartford Courant endorsed a go-slow approach. You can read the Couranteditorial here.
This week West Hartford's Whole Foods store became the chain's latest location to install solar panels. Made possible in part with help from the Connecticut Clean Energy Fund, more than 400 rooftop solar panels will produce enough energy to light the story every day.
Yesterday, the store hosted a celebration of the next generation of energy. Watch Anna Stonestreet's local online news tv story here:
On the solar front we have bad news and good news.
On the final day of the legislative session a major bill that would have created 300 megawatts of solar power in the next ten years—and which had unanimous support in the House—died through inaction in the Senate. This dismal failure will receive full treatment in a subsequent post.
Now to the good news. As of July 1 the Clean Energy Fund is reinstating the rebate to homeowners for solar photovolaic installations. This program was so successful over the past several years that it ran out of money. It is funded by a small surcharge on utility electric bills.
In the original program the State contributed 50% of the cost. Under the new program, this has been slightly reduced, but this reduction is offset by changes in the federal tax incentives. (Details are available at www.ctcleanenergy.com.)
I took advantage of the original program in my own home. I have 36 solar panels, which cost $60,000+. But the State covered half that cost.
My solar panels generate 70% of the electricity I use at my house. This month my bill was $25, and in the summer I'll begenerating a big surplus sent back to the grid for a savings that will carry me through the winter months. Not bad.
