Gov. Brian Sandoval signed an executive order Tuesday reactivating a task force to advise the administration on ways to promote and distribute renewable energy resources in Nevada, including rooftop solar.
Energy
A new solar plant that can store the sun’s energy and generate power day or night is now in full commercial operation outside of Tonopah.
A state lawmaker said Friday that Nevada utility regulators went too far by eliminating a disputed subsidy for net metering customers because the rooftop solar industry has been decimated by the decision.
The rooftop solar firm SolarCity has received a second $400,000 grant in support of its Las Vegas-based financial services business from the governor’s economic development office. The Catalyst Fund grant — the second of up to three — was awarded earlier this week.
An anticipated legal challenge to a proposed referendum petition to restore Nevada’s net metering program to more favorable rates has been filed in District Court.
Nevada’s seemingly contradictory renewable energy policies were in focus Tuesday as officials dedicated the first utility-scale solar facility to be owned and operated by NV Energy.
State utility regulators on Friday approved a phased-in rate increase for rooftop-solar customers over 12 years, rejecting a recommendation from NV Energy and others to grandfather in existing net metering customers under previous, more favorable rates for 20 years.
A new draft proposal from a state utility regulator posted Wednesday would not grandfather in existing rooftop solar customers under former, more favorable net metering rates despite NV Energy’s recommendation that they be protected for 20 years.
An official with the Nevada Public Utilities Commission said Wednesday that there has been escalating tension and intimidation directed at agency staff over the rooftop-solar debate and that at least two Las Vegas protesters at a Monday hearing on the issue were openly carrying firearms.
Electric car manufacturer Tesla has weighed in on the net metering debate before the Nevada Public Utilities Commission, asking state regulators to reconsider new rooftop-solar rates that took effect Jan. 1.
Nevada had the third largest number of solar jobs among all states in 2015 and the most solar jobs per capita, according to a new report being released Wednesday by a national group, the Solar Foundation.
State lawmakers looking at eliminating outdated or nonfunctional boards and commissions were told Tuesday that Gov. Brian Sandoval is preparing to direct an existing task force to make policy recommendations on a variety of energy issues including rooftop solar.
Dozens of rooftop-solar employees showed up at a hearing of state utility regulators Monday in support of a ballot referendum being pushed by the industry that would restore more favorable net metering rates for homeowners.
NV Energy on Friday proposed to state utility regulators that if rooftop solar customers who installed systems last year are grandfathered in under the old, more generous net metering rates by state regulators that they be given a 20-year grace period.
A proposed constitutional amendment to open up Nevada’s electricity markets and give consumers “meaningful choices” of utility providers was filed Wednesday with the secretary of state’s office.