big solar is leaving rooftop systems in the dust - home battery system

(Reuters)-
This year, solar power is accelerating for the first time, contributing more new electricity to the United States. S.
The grid is stronger than any other form of energy-a feat that is more economically driven than driven by green authorization.
From the big electricity bill-scale U. S.
The current solar installations are comparable to natural gas, and sometimes cheaper than natural gas.
According to industry participants and external cost studies, firepower can be used even if there are no incentives designed to promote eco-friendly electricity.
Backed by calls for self-reliance and environmental management and government subsidies, the early solar industry was dominated by roof panels, powering individual homes and businesses. But such small-
Large-scale installations are expensive and require a lot of incentives to attract homeowners.
Today, large systems sold directly to the United StatesS.
Public utilities dominate.
According to GTM research, an industry research firm, they are expected to account for more than 70% of the new solar energy in the grid this year.
Great success-
Scale Solar raises the question of the wisdom of continuing to motivate roof installations, which are still much more expensive than most other forms of electricity.
Non-subsidized public utilities
Scale solar power costs $50 to $70 per megawatthour (
5 to 7 cents per kilowatt hour)
According to a 2015 study by investment bank Lazard, the most effective natural gas plant is between $52 and $78.
According to the report, the cost of generating electricity from residential roof panels is much higher, ranging from $184 to $300 per megawatt hour before subsidies.
"If you take a piece of solar panel from someone's roof and put it in the ground, the amount you pay for the electricity drops sharply," Matt Friedman said ,", lawyers for the California power reform network advocate the Utility Reform Network.
"What's the magic of putting it on the roof? It’s not clear.
Many people are looking for a tipping point for utilities.
Expanding the scale of solar energy to the scale of 2014 announced by Austin Energy, the company will purchase electricity from a new 150 MW solar power plant-enough to illuminate and cool 30,000 households --
5 cents per kilowatt hour.
At that time, the price of solar energy hit a record low.
Since then, the project has reduced the price to less than 4 cents per kilowatt hour.
The Austin Energy contract opened the market for large solar energy in sunny southeast states, with utility chief executive Jim Hughes
First solar, a solar-scale developer, told investors in April.
"To be honest, their reaction was amazing," Hughes told them . ".
"The utility world suddenly sat up and noticed this and said, I don't know where the cost of solar energy is. ” Large-
Even in states that do not promote green energy policies, the scale of solar energy is taking off.
Georgia, for example, is the sixthlargest U. S.
Last year solar market roof solar few.
Lauren Bubba McDonald, a member of the Georgia Public Service Committee, said: "We don't need authorization . " He is widely believed to have helped launch the state's solar industry.
Utilities in North Carolina, Texas and Alabama are also building on a massive scale
The solar facility is very large because it has economic significance.
"We see a lot of solar sourcing at a centralized utility scale, mainly because of its cost-competitive," says Corey hawdeman, who follows the U. S.
Solar industry by market research firm GTM research.
"This is a different narrative.
Roof installers like SolarCity have gained rapid growth, in part because market information promotes romance and freedom to generate emissions --
Free electricity at home.
In addition, the roof panel is a good investment for homeowners in a state with favorable policies, which can eventually save money.
But math only applies to so-
Known as the "net metering" method, utilities are required to purchase electricity generated by roof panels at a price much higher than what they pay for centralized power.
To what extent governments and taxpayers should support rooftop solar energy is a matter of debate between several state legislatures and utilities committees.
Opponents argue that as more homeowners use solar energy, other taxpayers will bear the cost of maintaining the grid, and solar owners still use the grid when the sun does not shine.
Advocates argue that the higher the concentration of nearby rooftop solar systems, the less utilities have to spend to enhance grid reliability.
According to the clean energy technology center in North Carolina, at least 24 states reviewed or decided to study the value of rooftop solar energy last year, which compiled a database of state renewable energy incentives.
The purpose of these studies is to determine in-
The cost of electricity provided by on-site solar power is higher than the simple cost.
But there was little consensus.
For example, in Luis Anna and California, research commissioned by state regulators found that the net measurement policy resulted in an increase in costs for all taxpayers.
On the other hand, studies in Mississippi and Minnesota found that the policy provided net income.
A major difference in these studies is whether they make the environmental benefits of solar energy part of the equation, which is difficult to quantify.
"I will put the value of solar energy in the eyes of onlookers," said Brian Lips, who manages the incentive database at the clean energy technology center in North Carolina.
Rooftop solar's reliance on incentives is a key reason why investors punished solar stocks last year.
Tesla Motors is trying to take advantage of this weakness by buying a rooftop installer, SolarCity.
Tesla founder and chief executive Elon Musk is also the chairman and largest shareholder of SolarCity.
Musk hyped the benefits of bundling rooftop solar with home battery storage and electric vehicles to facilitate acquisitions.
But many shareholders of the electric car maker are wary of deals they see as risky.
Last year, hedge fund manager David Tepper tried to stop SunEdison and TerraForm Power Inc. from acquiring installation company vivinint Solar Inc. , which had a long time since he assessed that roof assets were not as good as Solar Power plants
Sign regular contracts with utility companies.
To remain relevant, some rooftop solar companies are expanding their business.
In May, for example, SolarCity has launched a set of services for utilities, including the development of solar power plants, battery storage, and other grid planning resources.
SunPower said in June that it will provide 300 New York homeowners with solar systems with battery storage, which will become a "virtual power plant" for utility company Con Edison ".