Beyond Net Zero?

Now that a run-of-the-mill homebuilder can offer a net zero energy cost home, you might consider going beyond net zero.  Your house could generate more energy than it uses, and actually put money in your pocket.

How much could you make?  Well, according to these rules,  you can't install more than 20% excess solar capacity, and they will only pay you wholesale prices for it:




CALCULATION OF BILLING FOR NET METERING SERVICE
Net Metering shall be, for billing purposes, the net
consumption as measured at the Company’s service meter.
However, in the event net metering is negative such that the
Eligible Energy Resource’s production is greater than the
Customer’s consumption in any month, the Company will not
credit Customer for such negative consumption. The negative
consumption shall be considered as energy available to offset
consumption in subsequent months. However, in the event that
such negative consumption balance remains at the end of a
calendar year, Company will pay Customer for such negative
consumption balance at the rate that reflects the Company’s
average hourly incremental cost of electricity supply over the
most recent calendar year. Payment shall be made within sixty
(60) days of the end of each calendar year, or within sixty
(60) days of when the customer terminates its retail service.
Customer may make a one-time election, in writing, to have the
Company carry forward the Customer’s negative consumption as a
credit from month to month indefinitely until the customer
terminates service, at which time no payment shall be made by
the Company for any remaining negative consumption balance.


For new construction, you could make a high guess at your consumption, and maybe get away with more that the 120% limit.

Green Politics in Denver

I'm personally not a big fan of traditional green politics, like passing laws that favor evaporative coolers over conventional A/C. (This happened in Denver recently) In most cases, market forces combined with lots of consumer education will produce the best results. "Unintended consequences" often result from poorly thought out laws (just ask Jared Polis). All other things being equal, fewer laws are better than more laws for many reasons. High on that list of reasons is the need for fewer lawyers.

Chris Nevitt, Denver's "greenest" city councilman, however, informed me of an interesting law passed by the city of Berkeley, CA. If you own a home and want to put photovoltaic solar on the roof, find a contractor and get a bid. The city will pay for it, then add the cost to your property tax bill to be paid over time.

With a financing scheme like that, there really aren't any barriers to PV ownership. The yearly savings on your electricity bill is instantly larger than the property tax increase.