Alberta's rules governing the billing of electricity from microgenerators such as solar photovoltaics (PV) are unusual in their approach to evaluating generator cost and benefits to the electric system. These rules place utilities at a long-term advantage and customers at a disadvantage. If Alberta had the same rules as elsewhere and used net metering, solar PV system owners would earn up to 30% more revenues from their investments, which would reduce their payback and help grow the Alberta market for solar PV.
This backgrounder explains those rules, and offers positive alternatives.
