IPP Update

Don Loweburg & Bob-O Schultze

(June/July 1994) The Independent Photovoltaic Power Providers (IPPP) is now the Independent Power Providers (IPP). We've dropped the word photovoltaic to encourage all Independent Power Providers to join together under one banner.

If we're to guide our own destiny and that of those to come after us into the Renewable Age, we need the strength of all the Independents whether they provide power by wind, hydro, co-generation, or solar thermal.

And it doesn't matter whether you're "in the biz" or whether you are providing power for the utilities, your neighborhood or just yourself. We all need a strong voice that says, "Hey! We're here, we've been here, we've helped pioneer this thing and there's no way we're going to let the big monopolies own the sun or control the ways and means to independent power production."

The feedback we've received to open IPP to all Renewable providers has been incredible. Independents everywhere are paying attention and can see the big utilities maneuvering for control. At the same time, nobody has any illusions about the existing solar organizations. One look at the membership list is enough. Manufacturers, utilities, government organizations aplenty and damn few Independents. So here we go. All aboard?

California News:

On April 6 the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) approved Southern California Edison's off grid photovoltaic tariff. This is supposedly an "experimental" three year program and was opposed by IPP. Though our efforts did not stop the program, we feel encouraged because many changes were required by the CPUC and SCE must now refile for final program approval. These changes strengthen compliance and monitoring issues and were required as a result of the protest and intervention of IPP and its supporters.

Given the vast resources of SCE as opposed to the "Mom & Pop Solar" nature of IPP members, this is a tremendous victory.

The CPUC, while allowing the program, will be watching closely to ensure that Edison's program lives up to its promises: to strengthen the PV industry, to not harm existing system providers and benefit the ratepayer. As you already know, IPP believes these promises will not be kept. We will be keeping a close watch over their program as it's implemented!

A big change is in the wind for utilities in California. According to the latest policy statement from the CPUC, power generation will be essentially deregulated within the next eight years. By 2002 all users will be able to choose from whom they buy their power. The term "direct access" was used to describe this new policy. IPP believes these changes may radically affect the utility role in the PV market, favoring he decentralized, user owned model over the monopolistic centralized utility system now in place.

What IPP Stands For

What does IPP stand for? Fundamentally we support distributed user owned power generation. Power can take the form of solar thermal, hydro, wind, and photovoltaic. This matrix of on-site generated power has begun with the off-grid market and will spread to the grid. This will be the new paradigm of power generation for the 21st century. The benefits we see are many. There will be a huge reduction of emissions, and the emergence of healthy, diverse and competitive manufacturing companies jobs created servicing and installing these systems, .

Our program at this time is to discourage utilities from entering the already cost effective off-grid market, encourage the user-owned PV grid connected market by insisting on customer net billing, and help develop financing opportunities for PV system purchases.

Whether you are now a provider or soon to be, an RE dealer, installer contractor, manufacturer or anyone who shares this vision, we invite you to join IPP. A phone call or letter is all it takes.

The following states have utility collaboratives working at this time that promote the interests of over 80 utilities nation wide to enter the PV market. We need people who share the IPP vision to get involved. The states are: Arizona, California, Colorado, Delaware, Hawaii, Idaho, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Texas, and Wisconsin.

Call or write for contacts in your state. IPP can coordinate but the energy must come at the local level.

What we do (or don't do) today will affect who controls the power of Renewable Energy for decades.

Access

National: Bob-O Schultze, Electron Connection,
PO Box 203, Hornbrook, CA 96044 • 916-475-3401

California: Don Loweburg, Offline Independent Energy Systems,
PO Box 231, North Fork, CA 93643 • 209-877-7080