HELP ENACT NET-METERING TO AVOID ANOTHER WINTER CATASTROPHE BY SIGNING THIS PETITION.

This petition will put the power of Texas power back in the hands of Texans and give us the freedom to choose if we want backup sources of power in case of emergencies where the grid may fail us. 

5 to 7 years and $200+ billion dollars. Those are the estimates to fully winterize the Texas power grid. Net-Metering can bridge the gap. Here's how...

Utilities could turn the hub-and-spoke into a multidirectional network, in which they manage the flow of electrons between thousands of interconnected solar panels, batteries, electric vehicles, and other sources. That would allow them to deliver power to whoever needs it in the most cost-effective way at that particular minute, which could be your own solar panels, the traditional grid, excess solar from a neighbor’s roof or battery, a utility-scale battery, or something else. Instead of a redundant power plant or major transmission line, utilities could spend more on smart meters and advanced grid management software enabling more real-time control of supply and demand improving the system’s efficiency. Transparent, responsive pricing could allow consumers to save energy-intensive chores, like running a clothes drier, for times when demand is low and help the utility charge more when demand is high. Regulators, meanwhile, could allow utilities to set rates based on how well they meet pre-designated policy targets, like reliability or utilization of distributed resources.

But the “death spiral” will continue to loom without this kind of innovation. There are no statewide solar tax incentives that can help put the type of technology in the hands of Texans needed to mitigate these risks. For this reason we are calling on our state representatives to enact Net-Metering and subsidize the installation of solar generators on Texas homes. 

In order to avoid another catastrophe and be at the mercy of ERCOT and corporations in the position to profit from them, Texans call upon the enactment of Net-Metering by its state representatives. 

Net-Metering will put the power back in the hands of Texans to choose whether they want to install a backup generator such as a solar panel to store power for emergency use, and will make it affordable to do so. The lack of Net-Metering and state incentives makes the installation and use of these devices a barrier to entry and leaves Texans exposed to another winter catastrophe. 

To date, out of 100+ retail electricity suppliers only four, Green Mountain Energy, MP2 Energy, TXU Energy, and Reliant Energy offer any sort of credit to customers with solar. As a result, most Texas homeowners find themselves out of the reach of a battery that could save their lives during another winter storm.