NORTH CAROLINA’S SOLAR CHAMPION

State Rep. Szoka promotes reforms to boost solar energy

Steve DeVane, February 21, 2016 (Fayetteville Observer)

“…[North Carolina lawmaker] John Szoka tried to get a bill passed last year that would have allowed power customers to buy electricity from someone other than a utility company…Now, he's setting his sights on comprehensive energy reform as co-chairman of the Joint Legislative Commission on Energy. He said he hopes a bill will pass next year…[Last year’s unsuccessful bill] would have made it easier for electricity customers to install solar or other renewable energy systems on their properties…[by allowing] a third party company to install the generation equipment such as a solar farm. That third party would have owned the equipment on the customer's property and sold the power it generated to the customer…Polls showed that 75 percent of North Carolina residents support renewable energy…[But] arguments against the bill included debate about whether policy changes should come before technical solutions…[and] a lack of knowledge about the issue among lawmakers…[His new bill will confront all the questions about New Energy, including the state’s renewables mandate, tax credits, and] net metering, which allows customers to generate their own electricity…” click here for more

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