On behalf of the staff members and myself, I would like to propose that the Toxics Watch Society engage in a campaign to remove the regulatory and bureaucratic barriers to net metering in Alberta.

Definition of Net Metering
Net metering is "A method of crediting customers for electricity that they generate on site in excess of their own electricity consumption." (epa website). In other words, it allows home and business owners to spin their electrical meters backwards using renewable energy that they produce from solar panels or wind turbines.

Current Situation
Net metering is illegal in Alberta. To achieve a similar result to net metering, Alberta is currently have to jump through about 70 regulatory hoops. One of the hurdles is the annual payment of $1000 to the Alberta Power Pool. This payment effectively makes any real attempt at net metering an exercise in futility (a small solar panel set up will produce $300-$400 of electricity per year).

Reasons We Want Net Metering
Were net metering readily accessible to all Albertans, the number of solar panels and micro-wind turbines installed in the province would increase dramatically, thereby "greening" power production in Alberta. Also, having the electricity system already set up and running with net metering would allow Alberta to quickly react to situations of declining energy resources or declining solar energy system prices.

Realistic Goal
By campaigning to facilitate net metering in Alberta, we are essentially asking the government to make the power market work more efficiently. I believe that there would be a broad base of support in Alberta for such a move, once Albertans are informed about the possibility. Net metering has already been implemented in dozens of jurisdictions throughout North America. It is a campaign which should have no controversy. I can see the headline now: "Environmental Groups Campaign for More Efficient Markets".

Partners
Gordon Howell has been running a personal campaign of his own for some time now. He is the expert on the subject in Alberta, and he has expressed a willingness to participate with us.

The Solar Energy Society of Alberta is an active, enthusiastic group with a strong interest in the subject. The information sessions that they held this past winter drew 30-50 people.

Virtually every non-wilderness based ENGO in Alberta would have an interest in net metering. The Pembina Institute comes to mind.

There is a national push to facilitate net metering by MicroPower Connect (a collaborative effort between EEMAC (Electro-Federation Canada), Natural Resources Canada and Industry Canada).

Benefits to Toxics Watch
Besides the obvious benefit of achieving the goal of the campaign, we hope that this campaign will revive the grassroots participation in this Society. The components of such a campaign, such as fundraisers, information sessions, solar panel raisings (it's like a barn raising, I just made it up), etc. will hopefully achieve the goals of raising funds, increasing membership, and at least doubling the fun quotient of being involved with Toxics Watch.

This proposal is being presented for feedback to all Toxics Watch members and staff (present and future).

Links

• MicroPower Connect Net Metering Campaign (Canada-wide)
• Gordon Howell's Summary of the Alberta Situation (pdf)
• Alberta Liberals Net Metering Amendment
• Solar Energy Society of Albert