Dec 22 - McClatchy-Tribune Regional News - Mike James The Daily Independent, Ashland, Ky.

The ability to sell excess electricity back to the grid is improving for Kentuckians who generate their own power via solar, wind or other renewable systems, according to a report released last week.

Kentucky's grade for net metering went from "D" to "B" on the Freeing the Grid 2008 report issued by the Interstate Renewable Energy Council.

The improvement stems from a state law passed in April that sets specific standards for net metering, according to state Rep. Tanya Pullin, D-South Shore.

The standards clarify requirements for individuals, schools and businesses to sell their excess power, said Pullin, who was active in passing the bill.

Previously, the standards were different from utility to utility and over time, which tended to discourage the practice, she said.

Net metering enables power consumers who generate their own power to sell what they don't use.

When the homeowner's system generates more electricity than it consumes, the meter essentially runs in reverse.

Excess electricity generated is rolled over to the next bill.

Net metering also relieves some of the strain on the electrical grid.

The bill broadened and simplified the requirements for net metering, said Tom Fitzgerald, director of the Kentucky Resources Council. It raised the cap on the amount of electricity a consumer can sell and standardized guidelines for installation of systems.

The report shows great improvement in the state, Fitzgerald said. "Kentucky went from barely passing to one of the better in the nation."

Kentucky didn't get a grade in another category on the report -- interconnection.

Interconnection standards include technical requirements and legal procedures for connecting consumers who generate their own electricity with the power grid, according to the report.

Work on developing interconnection standards in Kentucky has been completed, Pullin said. However, the report went to press before the standards were finalized.

There aren't yet many consumers in northeastern Kentucky who generate more power than they use, Pullin said. She has talked to some small businesses in the region, however, which are considering renewable systems.

She hopes the new standards will be an incentive to make the investment.

MIKE JAMES can be reached at mjames@dailyindependent.com or (606) 326-2652.

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