Solar proposal harmful to clean energy efforts

I think it is fair to say that in most cases, you get out of life what you put into it. The beautiful garden my mother grows every summer is the (literal) fruit of her labors. She spends her time and energy every year to produce something that benefits our family, our backyard, and the local pollinating insect community around our home. And every year she sells her surplus produce at the local farmer’s market at a fair market rate. Can you imagine if she had to unwillingly discount her product by 70% or more? Her hard work might not seem so worthwhile anymore.

Sadly, this is the possible future for Arkansas homeowners, schools and small businesses who produce their own solar power. The current one-to-one net energy metering rate established by our Public Service Commission allows Arkansans to be fairly compensated at market rate for the surplus energy they produce thanks to their hard work and investments in solar.

However, a newly proposed bill, House Bill 1787, would reduce compensation by 70% for solar power fed back to the grid, meaning Arkansans with solar would earn merely a quarter of market rate for the surplus power they produce. If that was not reason enough to oppose this bill, HB 1787 would also kill millions of dollars in current economic ventures and construction in Arkansas communities.

I urge the Arkansas Legislature to vote against HB 1787. This bill is unfair to the valuable work Arkansas homeowners, small business leaders and others are doing to produce clean energy, job opportunity and economic prosperity throughout the state. Arkansans deserve to get out what they put in.

LAUREN HOLLY

Bentonville