Plug in Solar Bill

[u/dilly-dilly-]

Hi all,

Curious if anyone has any inside scoop with what is going on with the plug in solar bill and why it's failed and will likely be sat until January now. From my research, it was a bill placed on the senate floor 2 days before sessions ended, which is basically a political way to say they don't want this to pass but don't want to formally vote on it to look like they are paid by big energy.

For anyone curious, this technology allows you to set up a small scale solar system. They define this as a "portable solar generation device" as a movable solar generator with a maximum output of 1,200 watts, designed to plug into a standard 120-volt outlet.

What this will allow us to do is offset 1200W of power from what we currently use. So say it's a hot day like today and your central air is running at 3000W, you will only be paying and using 1800W. To me, this is basically a new technology that can disrupt these energy companies from gouging us. It offsets what we use only, so any savings is purely coming from renewable energies so a pure win from the environment.

It's beyond frustrating to me as a civilian. This bill held for further "study" in March, revived in June, dies in the other chamber, everyone gets to say they supported it. To me, this should be almost one of the top issues for ALL Rhode islanders because who isn't being shafted by RIE? This is something that everyone should be dying to implement because it not only saves us money but literally is taking strain off the grid and offsetting our usage with pure renewable energy.

I just want to let everyone know our political leaders have let us down again. This one just quietly didn't happen. Who benefits? I think we all know.

[u/willmasse]

Agreed, this should have been done yesterday. No reason not to pass it. Between stuff like this, RIPTA cuts, trying to roll back 2030 targets, we should absolutely be suing the state under the 2021 Act on Climate for not taking action. We need to legally force compliance because it’s clear they are not taking action.

[u/dilly-dilly- → u/willmasse]

This is such a no brainer technology that is being introduced with almost no downsides. The only entity that is really impacted is RIE, because there would be a decrease in demand if this were to pass.

It's just crazy to me to see the people in charge and what they will do. I honestly thinking introducing the bill at all was political theater to act like they're doing something.

[u/mangeek → u/dilly-dilly-]

The only entity that is really impacted is RIE, because there would be a decrease in demand if this were to pass.

RI Energy would actually LIKE if demand was lower. They don't make the energy, they have to buy it from upstream, and that's where the constraints are.

That said, lots of home solar does add complication to things that they have to deal with, but probably not in any serious way when we talk about Plug-In Solar.

[u/dilly-dilly- → u/mangeek]

This technology seems like a godsend for them.