HomeMy WebLinkAboutRES 2022-015' RESOLUTION NO. 2022-16
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PALM
DESERT, CALIFORNIA, IN SUPPORT OF NET ENERGY
METERING
WHEREAS, Net Energy Metering (NEM) is designed to support the installation of
customer -sited renewable energy generation; and
WHEREAS, NEM allows customers to receive bill credits for power generated by their
solar system and shared with the power grid and ultimately save money on their utility bills; and
WHEREAS, NEM is what has allowed solar to become increasingly accessible to low- and
moderate -income households; and
WHEREAS, the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) has launched a formal
proceeding to update the current NEM structure to be introduced in 2022 as NEM 3.0 and a
number of parties have submitted their proposal for what they believe NEM 3.0 should look like;
and
WHEREAS, the California Investor Owned Utilities (IOUs), Pacific Gas and Electric, San
Diego Gas & Electric and Southern California Edison, have submitted a joint proposal (the "IOU
Proposal') that calls for drastic changes to NEM that would make customer -sited renewable
energy more expensive, increase the amount of time it takes for customers to pay off their
' systems, and ground to a halt the installation of distributed solar in California; and
WHEREAS, The IOU Proposal would make it impossible for customer -sited renewables
to continue to grow sustainably as mandated by law as a result of high monthly fixed fees for all
solar installations, and slashing credits customers receive for sharing their excess electricity with
the power grid; and
WHEREAS, proposals submitted to CPUC by Protect Our Communities Foundation,
California Solar & Storage Association, Vote Solar, GRID Alternatives, Solar Energy Industries
Association, and others not only would encourage new solar adoption but also include additional
subsidies for low-income customers; and
WHEREAS, California cannot meet its clean energy targets in time with utility -scale solar
alone and needs to triple the amount of rooftop solar, as reported by the California Energy
Commission 2021 SB 100 Joint Agency Report Summary; and
WHEREAS, protecting rooftop solar and expanding access to rooftop solar in communities
of concern will help California as well as our own city to move toward 100 percent clean energy,
lessen the impacts of the climate crisis, and reduce climate injustices from dirty energy; and
WHEREAS, on December 13, 2021, the CPUC issued a Proposed Decision that is very
similar to the IOU Proposal that would substantially reduce the credit value of excess energy
exported to the grid; implement an inadequate market transition credit; increase the payback
period for rooftop solar systems; and reduce the eligibility term for existing (NEM 1.0 and NEM
2.0) solar customers; and
' WHEREAS, we are in a climate crisis and need to make the transition to clean energy more
accessible.
Resolution No. 2022-15
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of Palm Desert that it
supports protecting and expanding rooftop solar via a strong succeeding NEM tariff and
expanding clean energy access by making it easier, not harder, for people to adopt rooftop solar
and energy storage in order to meet California's ambitious clean energy targets and deploy solar
in all communities and households, particularly those struggling to pay for electricity;
to:
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the City Council of the City of Palm Desert urges the CPUC
(i) strengthen NEM to expand access to all households, particularly of low -and
moderate -income;
(ii) expand access to other clean energy technologies that pair with solar, such as
batteries;
(iii) ensure that the solar installations continue to grow in order to meet state and
City climate goals; and
(iv) exclude provisions set forth in the IOU Proposal such has high monthly fixed
fees and reducing or eliminating credits for sharing electricity with the power
grid.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this Resolution shall be sent to Governor
Gavin Newsom, State Senator Melissa Melendez, Assemblymember Chad Mayes, and members
of the California Public Utilities Commission.
PASSED, APPROVED, AND ADOPTED on this 24th day of February 2022 by the
following vote, to wit:
AYES: JONATHAN, KELLY, NESTANDE, QUINTANILLA, AND HARNIK
NOES: None
ABSENT: None
ABSTAIN:None
JAN C. HARNIK, MAYOR
ATTEST:
NIAMH M. ORTE TY CITY CLERK
CITY OF PALM DES . CALIFORNIA