06 Jul 2018

Lithium Battery Technology for Home and Business – presented by Blue Planet Energy

Safety & Training
Join us on Friday, August 10th for an industry designed training for installers working with solar + storage systems, presented by Kyle Bolger, Vice President of Engineering with Blue Planet Energy. This one-day workshop will explore the emerging technology of lithium based energy storage systems for homes and businesses, with an emphasis on off-grid applications. The research, development, and implementation of lithium based energy storage systems for homes and businesses is transitioning into a mature and readily available market, with incredible potential to change the traditional design of solar PV systems. Some of the topics for this workshop will include…
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27 Apr 2018
Benefit-Cost Study of Distributed Generation Leaves Questions Unanswered

Benefit-Cost Study of Distributed Generation Leaves Questions Unanswered

Policy & Advocacy
In April, the cost-benefit analysis of distributed generation (i.e. rooftop solar) initiated by House Bill 219 was submitted by NorthWestern Energy to the Public Service Commission. The report is now public and is required to be included in the next electric rate case, which is expected to begin in September. Staff at MREA have reviewed the study. First, no work papers, data spreadsheets, or any other supporting materials were included with the report. This makes it incredibly difficult to verify the report’s claims. This lack of transparency is concerning, especially considering the ultimate goal of this report was to bring…
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23 Mar 2018
Understanding the Public Service Commission: Part 2

Understanding the Public Service Commission: Part 2

Education and Information, Policy & Advocacy
In Part 1 of this series, we gave an overview of the Montana Public Service Commission (PSC), including a brief history and a description of key elements of its role and structure. In Part 2, we focus on the PSC’s role in energy related issues, and specifically on three important electricity related responsibilities: creating customer classes and setting rates; overseeing long-term planning processes; and setting contract terms for Qualifying Facilities. Creating Customer Classes and Setting Rates The PSC is charged with creating customer classes for investor owned utilities, and setting the electricity rates (i.e. prices) for those classes. Since utility…
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28 Feb 2018
Understanding the Public Service Commission: Part 1

Understanding the Public Service Commission: Part 1

Education and Information, Policy & Advocacy
As of March 1, 2018, NorthWestern Energy has one month to submit its distributed generation (i.e. rooftop solar) cost-benefit analysis to Montana’s Public Service Commission (PSC). The analysis is the latest in an ongoing debate over net metering policy that most recently resulted in House Bill 219. HB 219 passed in the 2017 Legislature and mandated NorthWestern Energy to study the costs and benefits of distributed generation customers. Throughout this process, a number of questions have come up: why is the utility overseeing the study and not the PSC? What happens once the study is finished? How will this affect…
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30 Jan 2018

What do these solar tariffs mean?

Education and Information, Industry & Technical, Policy & Advocacy
Last week the President ordered 30% tariffs on imported solar cells and modules. These tariffs are nothing short of artificial price increases, leaving many in Montana to wonder how this will affect their ability to purchase solar. This will be a surmountable, albeit frustrating, speed bump on the road towards energy independence. ​The decision, touted as a way to bolster american manufacturing and create jobs, is projected instead to cost the american solar industry 23,000 jobs. Most of these will be in installation, which makes up the majority of the solar industry. In Montana, installation makes up approximately 80% of…
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30 Nov 2017

Legislature Special Session: Loan Program Funds Transfered, State Incentives Survive

Policy & Advocacy
On November 13th, the Montana Legislature opened a Special Session called by Gov. Bullock in order to address Montana’s budget crisis. MREA staff was present in Helena, working to protect renewable energy policies during the fast moving session. During the 4-day session, which adjourned on November 16th, MREA tracked two bills that had implications for renewable energy development: House Bill 7 and House Bill 6. During a Special Session, bills can move quickly – often times so quickly that their full implications may not be completely understood. This was a huge concern with House Bill 7 (Rep. Alan Redfield). HB7…
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30 Nov 2017

Solar Tariffs threaten Montana’s Solar Industry

Industry & Technical, Policy & Advocacy
In May, two foreign-owned U.S. solar manufacturers (Suniva and SolarWorld) filed a “Section 201” request with the U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC) to place tariffs on imported solar cells and modules. The petition claimed that imported solar cells and modules were harming the domestic manufacturing industry. The USITC took up the petition and began looking into whether or not these imported cells and modules were indeed doing harm. On September 22nd, the USITC ruled that an increased volume of solar imports did injure domestic solar manufacturing. This is significant because a confirmation of injury to the market requires the USITC…
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15 Sep 2017

Battery Based Inverter Training by Outback Power Systems

Safety & Training
On Friday, September 15th MREA offered an industry designed training for installers working with solar + storage systems. Presented by Lones Tuss with OutBack Power, the course was a one-day industry designed workshop focused on Outback Power Systems battery based inverter technology, along with balance of system components, web based monitoring, and their new grid-tied three-phase inverter product. Topics included: -- Battery Based FXR and Radian Inverters -- Integrated Combiner Solutions—ICS Plus (Rapid Shutdown) -- Optics RE—Web Based Monitoring and Control -- ProHarvest—3-Phase Grid-Tied Inverter Attendees who completed this course were eligible for 6 NABCEP credits. We are grateful to…
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31 Aug 2017

Net metering study moving forward; ETIC establishes focus areas

Policy & Advocacy
Net Metering Cost-Benefit Analysis Update As a reminder: House Bill 219, passed by the 2017 Legislature and signed by Governor Bullock, directs the Montana Public Service Commission to oversee a cost-benefit analysis conducted by NorthWestern Energy of customer-generators (i.e. utility customers who use grid-tied, net-metered systems). HB219 gives the PSC the ability to set minimum information requirements for the cost-benefit study. For more, read our June 28 Policy Blog post below. In June, the PSC released draft minimum information requirements for the study, and put them out for public comment. MREA joined a number of other renewable energy advocates in…
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28 Jun 2017

Net Metering Cost-Benefit Analysis Process Underway

Policy & Advocacy
House Bill 219, passed by the 2017 Legislature and signed by Governor Bullock, directs the Montana Public Service Commission to oversee a cost-benefit analysis conducted by NorthWestern Energy of customer-generators (i.e. utility customers who use grid-tied, net-metered systems). This analysis could have significant impacts for net metering customers and renewable energy installers in Montana. House Bill 219 requires NorthWestern Energy (NWE) conduct a study on the costs and benefits of customer-generators (i.e. net metered customers) before April 1, 2018. NWE is required to submit this study to the Public Service Commission (PSC) who will then review the study and make…
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