Friday, July 27, 2012

New Meter Working as Expected

I poked around the internet to try to learn about the net-meter meter (ours is made by General Electric).  It appears that it flashes through a few different displays.  If I read correctly, the number shown when code=100 indicates the amount of power that's been imported.  the number shown when code=101 indicates the amount of power that's been exported.

According to what I read, the blocky arrow thingy indicates whether power is being imported or exported at any given moment (equivalent to looking at the spin direction on the antique one). 

Tuesday, July 24, 2012

Be a Net-Meter Meter Meeter

Here's the new net meter meter.  At the bottom of the green label are the words -- wait for it -- "NET METER."   Love it...



I don't think I quite understand what the snag was, but I'm pretty sure I'm right that the root of the problem was that the installer didn't file the net meter paperwork properly (if at all).  Then, since PSE&G wasn't fully aware that we (thought we) were net meter customers, they initiated some kind of fraud investigation to figure out why our bills were, in their eyes, artificially low for no apparent reason.  This created some kind of infinite bureaucratic cyclone that wouldn't stop spinning.

To be honest, that's about as far as I want to dig into this.  We worked with some good people at PSE&G over the past few days and I think that now, all is right...

Monday, July 23, 2012

The Meter Has Landed

I'll have more details in a later post, but amazing news about our net metering problems.  They're over.  We got to deal with some extremely cool, helpful [add your superlatives here] people from PSE&G.  Bottom line -- we have a new net meter-capable meter.

How do I know it's net-meter capable?  I love this!  It actually has "Net Meter" stamped on it's face.  And it's green!

Thanks for getting it done, PSE&G...

Friday, July 20, 2012

A Breakthrough?

A breakthrough, perhaps?  The day after informing PSE&G that I was escalating, I received this email:


Dave: Thank you for providing the service address for your request. I have found the DWMS job and we have issued the meter set order # xxxxxxxxxxx to our Inspection Department for review. I have sent an email to our Wiring Inspector for a status update. Thank you.


Maybe this is over.  I hate to be a jerk about things, because I know they're busy as hell up there, but sometimes it's necessary to be the squeaky wheel.

Thursday, July 19, 2012

About to Escalate

I just informed my contact at PSE&G that later today I'll be sending letters to state Senators Fred Madden and Stephen Sweeney to ask for help in ending this fiasco.  Here's what I said:


I'm going to be writing a letter to State Senators Stephen Sweeney and Fred Madden about this. I mean no disrespect on a personal level, but this has been a fiasco that doesn't seem to be coming to any type of conclusion.
I understand that my installer didn't file the proper paperwork in 2009, and that the fact that I was able to net meter anyway was an accident. However, now that this oversight has been discovered earlier this year, I see no sign that PSE&G is doing much to help me resolve it. I've been patiently submitting documents, calling and emailing, and waiting for long enough.
This is costing me money and pushing my system payoff date back further and further. It's also stopping me from exporting green energy back onto the grid. I hope you can understand why I want to escalate this.

Wednesday, July 18, 2012

How Can I Make PSE&G Do Their Job?

It's been over a month since I submitted the last documentation requested by PSE&G, and there's still no sign of a new meter.

The inability to net meter (which I'd been doing for nearly three years) is costing money and pushing the back the system payoff date.  I'm thinking that I need to find a new way to pressure PSE&G to fix this.  Maybe I can call some of those reporters that cover alternative energy and tell them how the evil power company is preventing me from exporting green energy back onto the grid!

I'll bet the state legislative representatives from this area, especially the ones who have demonstrated an interest by voting for the recent alternative energy bill, would be interested to know about this fiasco.  That's an idea to consider as well.

Wednesday, July 11, 2012

[S1925/A2966]: SREC Relief About a Year Away

The NJ house and Senate have passed S1925/A2966, and it looks like the governor is going to sign it.  For some reason I had a hard time deciphering some of the analysis.  In a nutshell, though, I think that prices fetched for SRECs will hover back to the $300-400 range when this stuff starts to go into effect, which will be in 2013.

Here's some helpful explanation from Matt Elliott of Environment New Jersey.

An excerpt from Mr. Elliott's statement:

“This bill ensures the continued success of our state’s solar economy. Because of our remarkable success on solar to date, we are building at a faster rate than ever anticipated. As a result, we’ve seen an oversupply of solar credits on the market, causing the value of those credits to plummet for homeowners and businesses. The bill passed today would accelerate the state’s solar requirements over the next few years, driving up demand for the credits and helping to stabilize the solar market, all while helping to bring twice as much more solar to New Jersey in the very immediate future."

“The recent boom in solar development demonstrates that our state’s potential is much greater than previously anticipated. Moving forward, longer-term state policy must keep up with that potential. We should be increasing the state’s overall clean energy requirements and ensuring more of our clean energy goals are carved out for solar specifically. In the short term, however, this bill will ensure that New Jersey continues to be a solar leader. Without a doubt, today is a good day for solar in New Jersey.”

Friday, July 6, 2012

No Word Yet on Net Metering FUBAR

I emailed in to PSE&G what I hoped to be the final document needed to straighten out my net metering disaster.  So far I've heard nothing and don't have a new meter yet, but I'm still hoping.

Thursday, July 5, 2012

0 for 3 at Latest SREC Auction

I had three SRECs up for sale at the June auction (1 from April 2012, 2 from May 2012).  My floor price was $200 per, and none sold.