Bill would encourage home, business electric generation

Click to Enlarge Chad Lundquist/Nevada Appeal Assemblyman David Bobzien, D-Reno, speaks before the Committee on Commerce and Labor, regarding AB178 at the Legislature on Monday. Bobzien, hopes to revise current "net metering" laws by increasing the limit from 150-kilowatts to 5 megawatts and also offer incentive programs which provide rebates to consumers who install solar generating systems. Browse and Buy Nevada Appeal Photos

Geoff dornan
Appeal Capitol Bureau, gdornan@nevadaappeal.com
March 6, 2007, 4:01 AM

Comments Print Email

Freshman Assemblyman David Bobzien, D-Reno, said Monday he wants to open up the possibilities for people to install electric generating panels at their homes and businesses.

Present law provides for home generating units up to 30 kilowatts and educational applications up to 150 kilowatts under what is called "net metering." That refers to photo-electric panels at a home or school that use excess electric power to spin the utility's meter backwards and actually reduce the electric bill at that site.

Bobzien said his proposal would increase that limit to 5 megawatts. He said that would encourage installation of photovoltaic generating systems atop commercial flat-topped buildings, including retail centers, schools and hospitals.

He said the contribution to the electric grid could significantly reduce the need for Sierra Pacific Power Co. to buy power generated by fossil fuels.

The bill also expands and maintains the incentive program that provides rebates to consumers who install such systems.

And it would create a new program constructed in a similar manner for wind power generators.

Jason Geddes, of the Nevada Renewable Energy Task Force, urged Nevada's Commerce and Labor Committee to support the legislation. Geddes, a former assemblyman who headed UNR's environmental and energy programs, said he is one of about 200 residential net metering customers in Sierra Pacific's system.

Senate Minority Leader Dina Titus, D-Las Vegas, said she has a similar net metering bill being drafted for introduction in the Senate. She said photovoltaic systems and wind systems should be encouraged throughout Nevada. With sunshine an average of 310 days a year, constant winds in many areas and some of the nation's largest geothermal fields, both she and Bobzien said Nevada has huge potential for developing renewable power resources and could become an exporter of energy in the future.

Titus said her bill will also try make it easier for developers to install solar power systems on new homes so they can be included as part of the mortgage instead of forcing buyers to pay for them as a separate item. She said that should be much more acceptable to home buyers and increase the number of systems.

The bill was also backed by officials from Hughes Corp., developers of Summerlin. The committee was told a 100-acre regional retail center is planned for that 100,000-resident development, in Southern Nevada, and that they would like to consider installing photovoltaic systems atop the many retail buildings that will be constructed there.

Rose McKinney-James, of the Clark County School District, said they too support the proposal and have a bill, SB27, in the Senate to make net metering easier for school districts.

The committee took no action on the bill.



• Contact reporter Geoff Dornan at gdornan@nevadaappeal.com or 687-8750.