Powering the Future: Discover the Latest Developments with Solar Energy
Jared Routh
Solar power has been an emerging innovation for quite some time, but it is very important to High West Energy that our members are aware of our net metering program as well as all the details that encompass solar power.
Net metering programs compensate residential on-site generators with energy credits based on the surplus energy it feeds back into utility grids. We provide the opportunity for our members who have installed their own solar or wind generators at their home or business to enroll in a net metering program. If you are interested in solar, please call us with any questions or concerns. This is a complex topic, so conducting your own research, as well as speaking with our qualified staff, is vital.
Please contact us directly regarding solar power and our net metering program, prior to signing an agreement for your installation, as there can be misconceptions when discussing this topic with other companies.
If you are in our service territory and considering solar power, please be aware that you will still have an electric bill. The non-electric components of your bill, such as grid access charge and device charges, will be billed as normal. When a residential solar service over-generates, our meter flows two ways by keeping track of how much energy is used and the excess amount is then “banked” and can be used to offset any electricity needed to pull from our grid in a later month. At the end of the calendar year, any excess banked usage will be refunded to the member at our power provider’s avoided cost. On certain days, on-site generators may over produce what is needed for a household or business, while on other days, on-site renewable generation is not occurring due to low wind or overcast weather.
As you know, we are not immune to inflation, and we cannot predict the cost of future power supply. We are doing everything we can to maintain our rates, but that will not last forever. The renewable suppliers do not have any insight on our financial structure so we encourage you, our members, to call us to discuss your financial investments regarding distributed generation so we can partner with you.
For members who are interested in buying on-site generation, it is vital to do your research and understand that state laws and regulations are most likely going to change, which will affect the net metering incentive required by High West Energy. Policy changes could affect the financial payback that comes along with net metering as well.
In addition, please conduct your own research and ensure companies you work with are North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners certified professionals. If you have any questions about solar power or our net metering program, please contact our office at 307-245-3261.
86th Annual Meeting Coming Soon!
Our annual meeting will be held virtually on Thursday, June 15, 2023. Members who register and attend the meeting will receive a $20 bill credit as well as a chance to win raffle prizes. We hope to see you virtually on June 15th!