On 21 March 2012, the governor of Utah signed Senate Bill 12 into law, expanding the foundation for commercial-scale solar power in the state. eBay led the lobby effort behind the bill, joining a growing list of data-laden companies exploring a solar strategy. The law fills the gap left by the state's net-metering rules by allowing a customer to purchase renewable power directly from a non-utility company at a block of at least 2 MW; the capacity limit for a net-metered project is 2 MW. The program is capped at 300 MW. Utilities recover associated power delivery costs by acting as middlemen in the transaction. Key trends in this On Point include: State policy enables PPA model proliferation, while utility charges drag on competitiveness. Utah's low power prices restrain growth in commercial solar. Commercial solar additions grow across the US.
On 21 March 2012, the governor of Utah signed Senate Bill 12 into law, expanding the foundation for commercial-scale solar power in the state. eBay led the lobby effort behind the bill, joining a growing list of data-laden companies exploring a solar strategy. The law fills the gap left by the state's net-metering rules by allowing a customer to purchase renewable power directly from a non-utility company at a block of at least 2 MW; the capacity limit for a net-metered project is 2 MW. The program is capped at 300 MW. Utilities recover associated power delivery costs by acting as middlemen in the transaction. Key trends in this On Point include: