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The South Carolina House passed the Energy Freedom Act, which provides net billing support throughout the summer of 2021, aims to develop programs for C & I as well as solar energy Community, and seeks to ensure the coherence of public services in dealing with large solar projects.
As an East Coaster of South Florida, with brothers and a mother in Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, New York, and Connecticut, I travel north and south on the island. I-95 like a professional.
One of the times of this trip that always makes my heart ache is when we head from north to south, to South Carolina – and we see the palm trees lining the highways. We entered the south where the sun is shining. And where one might think that solar energy would flourish … Yet unlike I-95 traffic, solar energy has been slow.
The House of South Carolina passed Bill H3659 – Energy Freedom Act, by 110 votes to 0, and the bill is now sent to the Senate. Solar developers note that net billing ceilings would be reached in less than a month without ceiling extensions.
According to a summary by SEIA, the bill offers seven benefits to the solar industry:
- Net billing for existing customers has been extended to 6/1/2021, the Utility Rebate Grant for Net Billing expires on the same date and the Public Service Commission ( PSC) will establish a long-term rate determination.
- Major solar projects will see that some pending projects will receive a 10-year public service contract at cost avoidance approved by the PSC.
- A commercial and industrial program will be created at no cost to other clients.
- Neighborhood / community solar programs will be created.
- A statement of customer rights will be created to allow customers to have better control of their electricity.
- Changes to the integrated resource planning process, which will require the analysis of multiple future alternatives, including high levels of energy efficiency and renewable energy.
- Increased monitoring by the PSC in the production supply.
Last year, a bill to reform South Carolina's solar policies underwent a sudden change of direction after being informed that part of the bill included a property tax exemption for upgrades residential solar energy. The vote failed at 61-44 because 82 votes were needed for the passage.
Vote Solar and others, like Peter M. McCoy, Jr. (R-Charleston, below tweet), have played an important role in passing this bill. Good job sir.
Proud to work with so many great people to have solar house expand to SC House by a 110-0 vote. #SCSolar #SCJobs pic.twitter.com/hENiVhHQIi
– Peter M. McCoy, Jr. (@petermccoyforsc) February 21, 2019
According to the Solar Foundation's national employment census, the state has nearly 3,000 jobs in solar energy. According to SEIA, South Carolina is the 18th installed solar power in the country with 616 megawatts. In 2017, it was the 8th largest market in the state.
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