KCC should reject proposed solar charge

Westar’s proposed special demand charge for non-utility solar is unjustified and unfair.

Westar has proposed a special new “demand charge” for individuals who have invested their own resources in private solar cell systems. The proposed rate change is clearly designed to kill privately funded solar systems, and the emerging Kansas companies that sell, install and service such systems. Technical advances have made distributed (home, business, industry) solar cost-competitive.

Individuals who invest their own resources in private distributed solar generation deserve fair treatment and fair access to the market. The traditional government-protected pure monopoly status of large utility-scale electricity providers can no longer be justified.

Solar is the cleanest method for producing electricity available today.

Solar produces zero noise, zero emissions, zero use of non-renewable resources, and is readily scalable to meet a wide variety of energy needs. Rooftop solar takes zero land area out of production, saves energy by reducing air conditioning loads, minimizes electricity distribution costs, and provides clean, sustainable energy.

Utilities claim that the intermittent nature of solar is disruptive to operation of the electricity distribution grid.

This argument is particularly ironic, since Westar already has their own solar cells in operation at several locations, including their 1.2 megawatt solar array near Hutchinson. Utility arguments against distributed solar are often based on a report by the Brattle Group. The Brattle report is not an unbiased study, but rather was framed to support clients with a financial interest in utility-scale projects. A more balanced view is documented by John Farrell, Institute for Self-Reliance, “Is Bigger Best in Renewable Energy?” in Solar Today Magazine, Summer 2018.

The rapidly emerging electric vehicle market will increase demand for clean electric energy far exceeding any loss of business by utilities associated with expanded private solar. Westar and the KCC need to take a long-term view.

Bloomberg’s Electric Vehicle Outlook 2018 projects sales of electric vehicles to increase from 1.1 million in 2017 to 11 million in 2025, and 30 million in 2030. This will create a demand for clean electric energy to charge these vehicles far exceeding Westar’s claimed loss of revenue from private solar.

The Kansas Corporation Commission should support clean energy, free enterprise and innovation by denying special “demand rate” charge for private solar PV requested by utilities.

Bill Wentz is a distinguished engineering professor emeritus at WSU