WHEREAS net metering is the simplest way to allow private grid connected micropower technologies located on farms, homes, and buildings to realise the full benefit of all the electricity that they generate. AND WHEREAS 8 other provinces in Canada and 40 American states have adopted net metering as a central part of their micropower development strategy.AND WHEREAS Measurement Canada is developing a net metering certification standard for existing meters due to be in force in early 2007.AND WHEREAS the present metering laws, regulations and process are highly complex, net metering provides a straightforward way to track and credit the full benefit of electricity generated by micropower technologies. AND WHEREAS grid-dependent micropower systems using solar photovoltaic or microwind turbine technologies require special metering considerations because they typically export up to 70 per cent of the annual electricity they generate.
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Alberta Association of Municipal Districts and Counties encourage the Province of Alberta to develop and implement a net metering policy.The policy should include the following essential components:1. A review of Alberta’s metering regulatory processes that presently block the use of net meters.2. A commitment from the Province to mandate the use of net meters, or the equivalent equal-rate net billing, for no additional cost in meter data management or electricity market fees when a load-offset customer is requesting net metering.
energy that a customer imports from the electrical distribution system and the excess electrical energy that a customer exports back into the distribution system. The meter adds the imported energy and subtracts the exported energy, and provides a single number showing the net energy imported or exported over the billing period. With the net metering certification standard being developed by Measurement Canada and expected to be in force in early 2007, standard kWh meters will be permitted to be used for net metering.Since net metering permits a kWh meter to “run backwards”, then the electricity being exported is credited at the full purchased kWh commodity rate (energy, distribution, municipal franchise fee and GST). In this way, the customer receives full credit for the exported electricity.The single data point from a net meter can be handled by the load settlement process in the same way as any customer load data. Some policy and process questions regarding net metering still need to be developed in Alberta, including:- How will the meter data be handled if it shows a net export in a billing period.- For how many months will a credit be carried over from one period to the next.- If there is a credit at the end of the year, how will it be handled.- How will the data be profiled for the System Settlement process.- How will it affect UFE (Unaccounted For Energy)Eight other provinces and 40 American states now have net metering regulations with some variants and so have developed policies to deal with these questions.There is significant interest in net metering in Alberta, particularly from homeowners, farm owners, and the renewable energy industry. A net metering policy will reduce the present metering complexity in Alberta that sees meter data management costs of $250 and $1500 per year for handling electrical energy valued at $100 to $300 per year.
The AAMDC has no resolutions currently in effect with respect to this issue.
On February 1, 2008, the Government of Alberta announced the implementation of a micro-generation regulation. The micro-generation regulation allows Albertans who generate their own electricity to send excess power back into the grid through net metering and also encourages the use of renewable resources.