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November 19, 2019 - Image 2

Resource type:
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Publication:
The Michigan Daily

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State Rep. Yousef Rabhi and
state Sen. Jeff Irwin, D-Ann
Arbor, discussed the implications
of
solar
energy
generation
Monday at a town hall meeting.
More
than
50
community
members gathered to provide
input
on
recent
legislation
regarding solar energy usage.
Irwin began the event by
explaining the background of
clean energy and defining the
concept of “net metering.”
“What (net metering) basically
meant is that if you wanted to
generate energy at home for a
solar panel or something else and
you plug this energy back into
the grid, the utilities would net
the energy use,” Irwin said. “If
you were generating more energy
than they were using, they would
bank it. If you were using more
than you were generating, you’d

withdraw from that bank… and
pay them for the excess.”
The issue at hand is that major
utility companies such as DTE
are pushing for the shut-down of
net metering, Irwin said.
Irwin
elaborated
on
the
inability of individuals to adopt
solar energy due to the desires
of
utility
companies.
After
utility companies pushed for
the elimination of net metering,
the
legislature
ruled
that
the Michigan Public Service
Commission would enforce an
“inflow, outflow” policy. In other
words, if one were to draw energy
from the grid, they would pay full
retail costs.
On
the
other
hand,
by
contributing excess energy to
the grid, one would be paying
back approximately half the
amount of full retail. By this
policy, the utility companies have
slowed the development and
deployment of solar in Michigan.

They have also made the payback
of a solar energy investment
more unpredictable, leading to
uncertainty about investing, and
have decreased the price paid for
excess power.
“The long-term goal is to
unshackle the Michigan residents
from fossil fuels,” Irwin said. “It’s
pretty absurd that we continue to
rely upon fuels that we import to
meet our energy needs. It would
be much more environmentally
wise and in the long-term much
more economically wise if we
were to develop and invest in
home-grown clean renewable
sources.”
In addressing these problems,
Rabhi discussed the Energy
Freedom Package and Powering
Michigan
Forward
Package
— two sets of bills to tackle
resistance to solar energy use
in the community. Through the
Energy Freedom Package, more
conservative-minded libertarians
may be drawn to the idea
of personal choice and
freedom
of
generating
power, Rabhi said.
In
the
Powering
Michigan Package, there
are
three
bills.
House
Bill 5143 discusses the
importance of fair-value
pricing
by
requiring
the MPSC to establish a
tariff that analyzes the
distribution of solar energy
and compensates users on
the net amount of energy
that they use. House Bill
5144 eliminates the inflow/
outflow calculation in order
to make paybacks for solar
investment
much
more
predictable. Finally, House
Bill 5145 eliminates the
current 1 percent cap on
the number of individuals
allowed to generate and
contribute clean energy.
Craig Afreekans Jr., a
fellow for the organization
“Friends of the Earth”
is
studying
community
mapping to discover who
is contributing to a cleaner

future. Afreekans Jr. said the
bill eliminating the 1 percent
cap extends benefits to more
low
income
individuals
and
individuals of color.
“I think that in terms of the
bills that I really like, I really like
the House Bill 5145, the one that
eliminates the 1 percent cap,”
Afreekans Jr. said. “Because
if only 1 percent of people are
benefitting from the net metering
cap that utilities companies have
out, it’s not really for the state. It’s
just for a few select people…and
that doesn’t really mean people
of color or people of low income.”
After the lecture portion of
the event wrapped up, Rabhi and
Irwin answered questions about
the need for emergency off-grid
energy sources in major buildings,
the importance of wind power in
states like Michigan and the cost
of energy for electric vehicles.
Jay Nugen, a do-it-yourself
hobbyist who has a passion for
adopting solar energy sources in
his house, posed a question about
how DTE would benefit if the
entire state of Michigan were to
adopt solar energy.
Irwin said DTE would have
the opportunity to fill the need
for power grid backups.
“I think there is a need for the
grid to be managed and there
will probably also be a need for
power to be backed up and I think
they have an opportunity to fill
that need,” Irwin said. “They
could be the ones who lead this
transition and I think there could
be a tremendous amount for their
shareholders to benefit if they
were to lead this transition for
us.”
In an interview with The Daily
after the event Rabhi and Irwin
noted their short-term and long-
term goals in making sure that
the utility companies realize that
more people must start adopting
solar power.
“I think it’s two-fold — one is
reclaiming power for the people
and (the second) is ensuring that
we have a clean and sustainable
energy future,” Rabhi said.

2 — Tuesday, November 19, 2019
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
News

ASHA LEWIS/Daily
State Rep. Yousef Rabhi, D-Ann Arbor., discusses renewable energy laws at the Powering Michigan Forward Town Hall at Tappan Middle School
Monday.

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Politicians promote adoption of
solar energy, talk city benefits

State Rep. Yousef Rabhi, Senator Jeff Irwin lead discussion on sustainbility

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For The Daily

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