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December
2008
Missouri’s
Net-Metering Law Explained
Editor’s note: Thanks to Leisa Stilley at Intercounty, we have this article explaining Missouri’s net metering law. All systems are required to notify members of this law. Please check with your local attorney to ensure this meets that
need.
This act requires retail electric suppliers to make net metering available to customers who have their own electric generation units that meet certain criteria, one of which is that the unit is powered by renewable energy
resources. Net metering is where the customer gets credit for the electricity he or she generates in lieu of electricity supplied by the electric utility.
Net metering provides the best of both worlds for
consumers who choose to invest in renewable energy technology: they have the security of grid connection, but are also compensated fully for excess power they produce that’s fed into the grid. As such, it provides an incentive for investing in small-scale renewables. Furthermore, it prevents utility companies from discouraging installation of renewable systems.
FEC
has a net-metering agreement for interconnection of a distributed generation source. Our policy, agreement and application now reflect the new standards set by the Net-Metering and Easy Connect Act as of Jan. 1, 2008.
Net metering will be made available to customers on a first-come, first-served basis until the total rated generating
capacity of the net-metering systems equals 5 percent of the utility’s single-hour peak load during the previous year. Some of the provisions include the
following:
- Is intended to primarily offset part or all of the customer-generator’s own electrical energy
requirements.
- Is interconnected and operates in parallel phase and
synchronization with the retail electric supplier.
- Meets all safety, performance, interconnection and reliability
standards.
- The installation must be certified by a qualified professional electrician or
engineer.
- Change in ownership requires a new
application.
- The retail electric supplier shall have no liability absent of clear and convincing evidence of their
fault.
- Any seller, installer and or manufacturer who misrepresents any electric generation unit’s safety or performance standards may be investigated by the state attorney general upon report. They are also liable for damages to property or person if they knowingly misrepresent any performance and/or safety
aspects of an electric generation.
- Any consumer, who connects in parallel phase and
synchronization with any retail electric supplier without written
approval, can be immediately and without notice disconnected from electric
service.
- The manufacturer of any electric generation unit may be held liable for any damage to property or person caused by a defect in the generation unit of a
customer-generator.
- Full retail is paid (credited) for all energy put on the grid up to the amount purchased that month from the
utility.
- Avoided cost (at a minimum) is paid for all energy put on the grid in excess of that month’s use. This amount can
remain as a credit on the customer’s bill for up to a maximum of one year or at time of service
disconnect.
- Customer and manufacturer assume
liability.
- Customers pay for special metering costs necessary to
accommodate the customer-generator’s facility.
- All charges to the customer must be based on the standard rate base with no additional charges for capacity, standby and/or fees or
charges.
- Signed agreement application/agreement for Net Metering
required.
- All hardware must meet (but not limited to) specifications of: UL 1741, IEEE 929-2000, IEEE
1547.
- Utility may require a visible lockable safety
disconnect.
- Consumer must supply a site specific power flow
diagram.
- Must meet all applicable codes including local codes and
NEC.
- Annual recorded tests by member-generator required to
confirm safety operation (as per agreement with utility.)
Simple interconnection procedures that standardize inter-connection for all Missourians are necessary to promote the use of renewable energy in Missouri. The ECA makes it easier and more cost-effective for Missourians to connect small renewable energy systems to the grid.
FEC
supports sound renewable energy. We just ask that our members do their homework before spending thousands of dollars to add solar, wind or any type of renewable energy source to their home. For more
information please contact our office.
Deck the Halls with Energy Efficiency
It’s that making-your-list-and-checking-it-twice time of year. Come January you don’t want to face the double whammy of holiday bills and higher utility costs.
Here are the five easiest ways to enjoy the holidays and not sacrifice energy efficiency:
 Switch to LED holiday
lights – Light-emitting diodes (LEDs) can light up your tree at a fraction of the cost and energy usage. The Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI at
www.epri.com) estimates it costs 13 to 17 cents to light a holiday tree with LED lights for the entire season. Compare that to $6 to $10 for incandescent lights. And, says EPRI, if we all switched from seasonal mini-lights to LEDs this holiday, electricity cost savings would exceed $250 million, and carbon emissions would be reduced by 400,000 tons per year.- Cook smart – Instead of the oven, use the microwave,
crockpot, toaster oven or outdoor grill. Avoid preheating, use the oven to cook multiple items at a time and match pot to burner size.
- Forget the fireplace – It may be tempting to stoke
up the fireplace on Christmas Eve, but in addition to sparing Santa some singes, you’ll save on all that heat that goes right up the chimney. In addition, without an intake air vent, which many houses don’t have, the roaring fire in your fireplace will draw oxygen from cool outdoor air through leaks around doors and windows. That cool air can actually cause your thermostat to call for more heat.
- Turn down the outdoor lights – Limit those big
outdoor displays to six hours a night. Even better, replace those standard bulbs with LEDs and use .04 watts per bulb instead of 5 to 7 watts per bulb, according to the Consumer Energy Center
(www.consumerenergycenter.org).
- Use a humidifier – It will make you feel warmer, and
you can lower the thermostat setting to save energy and still be comfortable; maintain a 20 percent to 40 percent relative humidity level, according to We Energies, a utility serving Michigan and Wisconsin.
Go light for the
holidays
We’re talking about LED (light-emitting diodes) and fiber optic lighting. Pitch those mini-lights and standard C-7 lights. According to the Consumer Energy Center
(www.consumerenergycenter.org), standard C-7 bulbs use 5 to 7 watts per bulb. LEDs use only .04 watts per bulb.
Energy Ideas Clearinghouse
(www.energyideas.org) puts this usage into dollars and cents: The cost of lighting 500 bulbs for five hours for 30 days would cost you on average $18.90 for standard C-7 bulbs, $1.89 for mini-lights and 19 cents for LED lights.
LED lights can last up to 100,000 hours indoors or half that outdoors. They’re not combustible, and you can connect 25 strings without overloading a typical electrical circuit. If a bulb burns out, the others will stay lit.
Fiber optic lights are another good choice for an energy-efficient holiday. You now can buy artificial trees with fiber optic lighting built into the tree. The
Energy Ideas Clearinghouse points out these trees use an incandescent bulb ranging from 5 to 20 watts, depending on the tree size. Light is transmitted from a single bulb (only one bulb to replace) through hundreds of tiny fibers and emitted along each branch. Most trees come equipped with a rotating color wheel that changes the color emitted from the fibers. Fiber optic trees typically cost between $20 and $400, depending on size.
Both LED and fiber optic lights are available online and wherever holiday lights are sold.
Cut kitchen energy use this holiday season
During the holidays, your stove, oven, refrigerator and dishwasher run overtime, keeping up with parties, treats for school and work and family get-togethers. Your energy bills can take a hit come January.
Your budget may not allow you to replace 10-year-old kitchen appliances with new, efficient ones – which typically use 50 percent less energy, according to the Consumer Energy Center
(www.consumerenergycenter.org). Instead, follow these tips to use less energy in the kitchen this
December:
Oven
- No need to preheat your oven for long, slow-cooking meats
and casseroles
- Instead of opening the door to check what’s cooking, turn
on the oven light and check the status—opening the door lowers the temperature inside by as much as 25
degrees
- Cook several items in the oven at the same time but leave
enough room for the heat to circulate
- In an electric oven, turn the heat off several minutes before
the food is fully cooked—the stored heat will finish the job, likewise for the stove
top
- If you use glass or ceramic pans, turn down the oven
temperature 25 degrees
- Self-cleaning ovens use less energy for normal cooking, but
if you use the self-cleaning feature more than once a month, you’ll use more energy than you
save
Stovetop
- Match the pan size to the heating element – a 6-inch pan
on an 8-inch burner will waste more than 40 percent of the energy
- Clean burners and reflectors provide better heating while saving energy – the best reflectors can save as much as one-third the energy used when cooking on top of the
stove
- Put a lid on the pot you’re cooking in
Other ways to cook
- Microwaves use 50 percent less energy than ovens and don’t
heat your kitchen – use them to bake sweet potatoes, steam vegetables or heat
leftovers
- Small appliances like slow cookers, electric skillets and
toaster ovens use far less energy than conventional stoves and ovens – a crock pot will cook a whole meal for about 6 cents worth of electricity, on
average
- Roast or smoke your holiday meats
outside
Refrigerator
- Keep the doors closed as much as possible – however,
leaving them open for a longer period while you take out items is more efficient than opening and closing several
times
- Keep your refrigerator and freezer full – the mass inside will
help the refrigerator recover each time the door is opened
Dishwasher
- Wash and dry dishes by hand – it’s true a load of dishes
in a dishwasher requires 37 percent less water than washing by hand, but if you fill the wash and rinse basins instead of letting the water run, you’ll use half as much water as the
dishwasher
- Wash full loads only in your dishwasher and skip the
pre-rinse – if you need to rinse dishes first, use only cold water
- Use the energy-saving cycles on your dishwasher whenever
possible – dishwashers that feature air power or overnight dry settings can save up to 10 percent of your dishwasher energy costs
 Scrooge-like ways to save energy in the holidays
The following tips for keeping a lid on your energy bills during the holidays may seem straight from Ebenezer Scrooge. But if you’re looking for ways to eke out savings, these tips will do just that.
- Switch to LEDs on the tree – The new light-emitting diode (LED) tree lights are 100 times more efficient than the old standard C-7 bulbs, according to the
Energy Ideas Clearinghouse
(www.energyideas.org). They can last up to 20 years and are not a fire hazard.
- Switch off the outdoor lights – If you’re into the big outdoor displays, use a timer to limit the usage to no more than six evening hours a day. According to the Alliance to Save Energy
(www.ase.org), leaving them on 24 hours a day could quadruple your energy costs.
- No tree lights at all – Have a truly old-fashioned tree without lights. Compliment your glass and resin ornaments with gingerbread animals, candy canes and popcorn and cranberry strings.
- Forget roasting chestnuts in the fireplace – Most of the heat from the wood you burn, plus some drawn from inside your house as well, goes straight up the chimney. In fact, unless you have a dedicated vent to bring outside air right to the fireplace, a fire in the fireplace will actually suck cool air in from outside (through leaks around doors and windows). That cold draft you feel can even cause your gas or electric furnace to run
more.
- Step outside for the carolers – The Alliance to Save Energy
(www.ase.org), suggests bundling up in a parka and stepping outside when the carolers arrive at your door. Better that than standing in the open door, leaking precious heat.
- Ask for Energy Star from Santa – For the energy-conscious homeowner, there’s no finer gift than a new Energy Star appliance that can cut related energy bills by 30 percent.
- Lower the thermostat – Set the thermostat a few degrees lower than normal. According to the Missouri Department of Natural Resources
(www.dnr.mo.gov), you’ll save about 1 percent energy usage per degree of permanent setback. Now you have an excuse to wear that new wool sweater.
- No electronics, please – Vow not to give a gift that uses batteries or electricity. Spend the money on books, organic food, a bicycle, sporting goods, board games, non-electric toys – you get the idea.
- Plug the leaks – Use a day of your holiday time off to caulk (if it’s warm enough) and seal around windows, add plastic film to single-pane windows to block drafts and install storm windows and doors.
Energy-saving gifts that keep on giving
If you’re looking for a few energy-saving stocking stuffers or gifts under the tree, here are some
ideas:
- Compact fluorescent bulbs – They come in a variety of
sizes, shapes and wattages, use up to 75 percent less energy and last 10 to 20 times longer than incandescent
bulbs
- Home energy audit – Slip an IOU for a home energy audit
from your electric cooperative in your dad’s stocking and learn where to stop the energy
leaks
- Energy Star appliance – If time’s running out for your old
refrigerator, stove, dishwasher or other home appliance, spring for an Energy Star model that may use up to 30 percent less energy than other models; check out
www.energystar.gov for lists of appliance models and
dealers
- Programmable thermostat – These inexpensive devices,
when properly installed, can help you reach a constant, steady temperature zone in your home that saves energy
dollars.
And while you’re at it, make a New Year’s resolution to get started in 2009 on energy fix-ups for your home.
Put Your Energy Use on Vacation When You’re Away
Planning a holiday getaway? Whether it’s a long weekend or an extended trip, make sure your home’s energy usage takes a break as well. Unless you make conscious changes, however, you’ll likely see little change in the amount of electricity you use. Here’s how to put your energy usage on vacation along with
you:
- Set your programmable thermostat on “hold” or the
“vacation” setting
- If a regular thermostat, set it at a temperature that
maintains a safe environment in the house: think about pipes, houseplants, fish/birds/other
pets
- Unplug computers, TVs, CD/DVD players, cordless phones, battery chargers and any other electronic gizmo that’s using electricity even when it not “in use”
- Use timers to operate lights at
night
- Set the refrigerator to a warmer setting or even empty it
completely if yours is an extended trip; leave the door open to prevent mildew
- Turn the water heater down to the lowest setting; some • have “vacation”
settings
- Decide which clocks, heat tapes and security lights you can unplug
Energy
Efficiency Tip of the Month
It may sound
obvious, but turning off unneeded lights can be one of the most energy
efficient things you can do. Rooms where lights can be forgotten include
the basement, closets and the garage. Consider having an electrician
install motion-sensing switches to automatically turn these lights on
and off.
Doug Rye
Says...
The electric cooperatives do not want to build new power plants unless absolutely necessary. That’s because you, the members, will have to pay for them. Energy efficiency is a much better alternative and yes, better for our country, too.
On my recent trips to Missouri and Iowa where I presented several seminars about energy efficiency, my wife and I visited several churches on Sunday mornings. On one of those visits, the pastor’s sermon was on the Ten Commandments. Well, I, like many of you, have known the Ten Commandments since I was a child. I have always thought that, whether you like them or not, the Ten Commandments are easily understood. Thou shalt not steal means thou shalt not steal.
As we were leaving the church, I said to my wife, “You know, energy efficiency is not difficult either. I think I will write the Ten Commandments of Energy Efficiency.” Yes, she did give me that “oh my” look.
I also told you last month that we were going to take a look at each step of the improvements made at the home of Carroll and Sue Luten of Donaldson, Ark., the winners of the Energy Efficiency Makeover Contest. We want to show you each step so you will have a better understanding of how to make such changes to your home, if needed. So, let’s learn and practice the Ten Commandments of the Energy Efficiency Makeover Project together.
Energy Commandment One: Thou shalt stop air infiltration. The Luten’s home had 1.8 natural air changes per hour of air infiltration when it was first tested in July. That means that about 180 percent of all the air in the house was being replaced by outside air every hour that there was wind blowing or if there was a significant temperature difference between the inside temperature and the outside temperature, like we have here in the winter or summer. (Remember our discussion about the Delta T in an earlier column?) This infiltration rate is the same thing as having a door and a window open in the house 24/7.
To fix this problem we did a blower door test, which simulates the effects of wind blowing on the outside of a house. We then applied foam sealant to the home’s many air leaks.
Those working on the home used 70 tubes of caulk, 50 cans of foam and lots of rigid and loose insulation to seal the air leaks. Plus, there was a whole lot of elbow grease.
But guess what? YOU CAN DO IT, TOO! And we’ll talk more about how to do that next month as we discuss where you need to check for areas of air infiltration in your house. There are more places than you might
think.
Doug Rye can be
heard on KGOZ and KAAN locally. Every Saturday morning, Doug Rye hosts a live call-in show on several
area radio stations. He can be heard from 9-10 a.m. on KGOZ, 101.7,
Gallatin, and on KAAN, 95.5, Bethany.
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