Dear Michigan Public Service Commission,

Transcription

1 Anna Loar Comment re: docket U Don t Kill Solar In Michigan Friday, March 23, :11:10 AM Here in the UP, we face an energy crisis increasing costs and decreasing reliability. Let s look to solutions like rooftop solar. Policies like retail net metering allow home and business owners one of the few options to control our energy bills. Acting prematurely to eliminate Michigan s net-metering policies will risk punishing customers with an unproven billing scheme, and killing a thriving industry in the process. Please maintain the current solar rate system until commission staff have adequately conducted a full study on the impacts of the policy and determined the value of solar, as they have been statutorily directed. I hope you will continue policies that support these solar choice for residents in the UP. Anna Loar 441 Pewabic St Calumet Township, MI 49913

2 Grace Sheppard LARA-MPSC-EDOCKETS Comment re: docket U Don t Kill Solar In Michigan Friday, March 23, :55:59 AM Here in the UP, we face an energy crisis increasing costs and decreasing reliability. Let s look to solutions like rooftop solar. Policies like retail net metering allow home and business owners one of the few options to control our energy bills. Acting prematurely to eliminate Michigan s net-metering policies will risk punishing customers with an unproven billing scheme, and killing a thriving industry in the process. Please maintain the current solar rate system until commission staff have adequately conducted a full study on the impacts of the policy and determined the value of solar, as they have been statutorily directed. I hope you will continue policies that support these solar choice for residents in the UP. Grace Sheppard 701 W A St Iron Mountain, MI 49801

3 Stella Hansen LARA-MPSC-EDOCKETS Comment re: docket U Don t Kill Solar In Michigan Friday, March 23, :04:05 PM Dear commission, We have had solar panels that we have installed and built the frame for since We have a reversed meter and feed into the power line. We aren't hurting anyone, we already pay a fee to "lease the lines" even though we use all the power we make, and also have power coming into the house from the lines. (No others have to lease their power lines, but they slapped a surcharge on to us because we generate a small amount of electricity.) Our panels costed us thousands of dollars. `$7000. Which will not pay for themselves for more years to come. We live in Michigan, but pay for Wisconsin Electric power. Since 2015, Michigan has nearly doubled the amount of solar jobs in the state. This explosion can be, in part, credited to common sense, reasonable solar policy like net metering. The Commission s current proposal to eliminate net metering will work against our ability as energy consumers to generate our own power with solar. We should be allowing more homegrown solar, not creating policy that unnecessarily restricts it. Policymakers in other states have made the mistake of eliminating net metering without having a fair replacement - it disrupted the economy and put jobs at risk. In Nevada, when anti-solar policy replaced net metering, thousands of local jobs were lost. The Michigan state legislature directed the Commission to complete a full study of the costs and benefits associated with solar energy to determine a data-driven solar tariff. The Commision is not required to replace net metering as a fair rate design.. But most importantly, the Commission should complete this study before making a decision that negatively impacts the thousands of jobs in solar, as well as the people of Michigan that want to take control of their power bills. Stella Hansen N4710 Birch Ln Iron Mountain, MI 49801

4 James Pillsbury LARA-MPSC-EDOCKETS Comment re: docket U Don t Kill Solar In Michigan Friday, March 23, :29:21 PM Here in the UP, we face an energy crisis increasing costs and decreasing reliability. Let s look to solutions like rooftop solar. Policies like retail net metering allow home and business owners one of the few options to control our energy bills. Acting prematurely to eliminate Michigan s net-metering policies will risk punishing customers with an unproven billing scheme, and killing a thriving industry in the process. Please maintain the current solar rate system until commission staff have adequately conducted a full study on the impacts of the policy and determined the value of solar, as they have been statutorily directed. I hope you will continue policies that support these solar choice for residents in the UP. James Pillsbury Zeba Trailer Park C L'anse, MI 49946

5 Brian Dibbern LARA-MPSC-EDOCKETS Comment re: docket U Don t Kill Solar In Michigan Friday, March 23, :25:29 PM Here in the UP, we face an energy crisis increasing costs and decreasing reliability. Let s look to solutions like rooftop solar. Policies like retail net metering allow home and business owners one of the few options to control our energy bills. Acting prematurely to eliminate Michigan s net-metering policies will risk punishing customers with an unproven billing scheme, and killing a thriving industry in the process. Please maintain the current solar rate system until commission staff have adequately conducted a full study on the impacts of the policy and determined the value of solar, as they have been statutorily directed. I hope you will continue policies that support these solar choice for residents in the UP. Brian Dibbern 434 W Hewitt Ave Marquette, MI 49855

6 Debra Sacheck LARA-MPSC-EDOCKETS Comment re: docket U Fair Solar Policy. Save Jobs. Friday, March 23, :55:14 PM Dear Executive Secretary, Last year, Commission staff were directed by the state legislator to complete a full study of the costs and benefits associated with solar energy to determine a data-driven solar tariff. Today, we still don t have a study but the Commission has decided to move ahead with a proposal to eliminate the current net metering billing structure. The replacement being suggested is not necessary at this time. It is anti-solar and anti-customer. Not only does changing the rate structure prematurely risk overcharging ratepayers who install solar on their homes, it also could have a major impact on thousands of Michiganders jobs. Currently, the solar industry employs more than 4,000 people in Michigan. These are goodquality, local jobs, the majority of which are in installation and cannot be automated or outsourced. More than eighty percent of Michigan voters, with majority support among both Republicans and Democrats, favor increasing the state s use of solar energy, according to a recent poll. Eliminating NEM without adequate study of its impacts, would be an absurd decision for the commission to make at this point in time. Debra Sacheck 4329 Miramar Ave NE Grand Rapids, MI 49525

7 Gerald Heikkinen Comment re: docket U Save Energy Choice in the UP Friday, March 23, :19:48 AM Dear Executive Secretary, In the UP, we continue to search for ways to battle increasing energy costs. Rooftop solar has been one of those solutions, and I hope you will continue policies that support these choices for residents. Now it not the time to eliminate retail net metering (NEM). Last year, the state legislature directed the Commission to complete a full study of the costs and benefits associated with solar energy to determine a data-driven solar rate design structure. This study was never fully completed. Without that this data there s no reason to move away from NEM, which is currently working for our state. In fact, according to Michigan s Public Service Commission own research, net-metered solar systems provide a net-benefit for electricity rates across communities. Because of this benefit, there is no reason to slash the value of solar, and punish customers. I hope you will continue policies that support these solar choice for residents in the UP. Gerald Heikkinen 538 Pear St Lake Linden, MI 49945

8 Carolyn Peterson Comment re: docket U Save Energy Choice in the UP Friday, March 23, :34:55 AM Dear Executive Secretary, My husband and I had 8 solar panels installed on our roof in Houghton in It has been THE wisest investment we have made, not because of the money saved but because of the FUN we have had watching that meter go backwards on these sunny days in March! We want others to have this joy!! It feels good to do what is right for our planet and our community! In the UP, we continue to search for ways to battle increasing energy costs. Rooftop solar has been one of those solutions, and I hope you will continue policies that support these choices for residents. Now it not the time to eliminate retail net metering (NEM). Last year, the state legislature directed the Commission to complete a full study of the costs and benefits associated with solar energy to determine a data-driven solar rate design structure. This study was never fully completed. Without that this data there s no reason to move away from NEM, which is currently working for our state. In fact, according to Michigan s Public Service Commission own research, net-metered solar systems provide a net-benefit for electricity rates across communities. Because of this benefit, there is no reason to slash the value of solar, and punish customers. I hope you will continue policies that support these solar choice for residents in the UP. Carolyn Peterson 605 E 2nd St Houghton, MI 49931

9 Daryl Putala Comment re: docket U Save Energy Choice in the UP Friday, March 23, :17:25 AM Dear Executive Secretary, In the UP, we continue to search for ways to battle increasing energy costs. Rooftop solar has been one of those solutions, and I hope you will continue policies that support these choices for residents. Please let our voices make a difference. Now it not the time to eliminate retail net metering (NEM). Last year, the state legislature directed the Commission to complete a full study of the costs and benefits associated with solar energy to determine a data-driven solar rate design structure. This study was never fully completed. Without that this data there s no reason to move away from NEM, which is currently working for our state. In fact, according to Michigan s Public Service Commission own research, net-metered solar systems provide a net-benefit for electricity rates across communities. Because of this benefit, there is no reason to slash the value of solar, and punish customers. I hope you will continue policies that support these solar choice for residents in the UP. Daryl Putala Arnheim Rd Pelkie, MI 49958

10 Carl Johnson Comment re: docket U Save Solar, Save Jobs Friday, March 23, :27:44 AM If the Michigan Public Service Commission eliminates retail net energy metering (NEM) before having a solid framework and methodology in place, it will destabilize Michigan s growing solar industry, as well as the 4,000-plus solar jobs in the state. Keeping policies like net metering ensures that it s not just the utilities that get to benefit from a clean energy future. Please support a competitive market place will allow clean energy to work for those of us in the UP battling high energy bills. Carl Johnson th St Hancock, MI 49930

11 Melzee Jacobson Comment re: docket U Save Solar, Save Jobs Friday, March 23, :35:40 AM If the Michigan Public Service Commission eliminates retail net energy metering (NEM) before having a solid framework and methodology in place, it will destabilize Michigan s growing solar industry, as well as the 4,000-plus solar jobs in the state. Keeping policies like net metering ensures that it s not just the utilities that get to benefit from a clean energy future. Please support a competitive market place will allow clean energy to work for those of us in the UP battling high energy bills. Melzee Jacobson 527 E Margaret St Ironwood, MI 49938

12 Stephen Nelson Comment re: docket U Save Solar, Save Jobs Friday, March 23, :06:35 AM If the Michigan Public Service Commission eliminates retail net energy metering (NEM) before having a solid framework and methodology in place, it will destabilize Michigan s growing solar industry, as well as the 4,000-plus solar jobs in the state. Keeping policies like net metering ensures that it s not just the utilities that get to benefit from a clean energy future. Please support a competitive market place will allow clean energy to work for those of us in the UP battling high energy bills. Stephen Nelson 2141 H Rd Bark River, MI 49807

13 Bruce Granat Comment re: docket U Save Solar, Save Jobs Friday, March 23, :03:06 AM If the Michigan Public Service Commission eliminates retail net energy metering (NEM) before having a solid framework and methodology in place, it will destabilize Michigan s growing solar industry, as well as the 4,000-plus solar jobs in the state. Keeping policies like net metering ensures that it s not just the utilities that get to benefit from a clean energy future. Please support a competitive market place will allow clean energy to work for those of us in the UP battling high energy bills. Bruce Granat Red Rock Rd Lake Linden, MI 49945

14 Susan Burack Comment re: docket U Save Solar, Save Jobs Friday, March 23, :10:56 AM If the Michigan Public Service Commission eliminates retail net energy metering (NEM) before having a solid framework and methodology in place, it will destabilize Michigan s growing solar industry, as well as the 4,000-plus solar jobs in the state. Keeping policies like net metering ensures that it s not just the utilities that get to benefit from a clean energy future. Please support a competitive market place will allow clean energy to work for those of us in the UP battling high energy bills. Susan Burack 103 E Quincy St Hancock, MI 49930

15 Fredrick Robinson Comment re: docket U Save Solar, Save Jobs Friday, March 23, :12:38 AM If the Michigan Public Service Commission eliminates retail net energy metering (NEM) before having a solid framework and methodology in place, it will destabilize Michigan s growing solar industry, as well as the 4,000-plus solar jobs in the state. Keeping policies like net metering ensures that it s not just the utilities that get to benefit from a clean energy future. Please support a competitive market place will allow clean energy to work for those of us in the UP battling high energy bills. Fredrick Robinson 858 E Ogemaw Center Rd West Branch, MI 48661