Environmental Leader

When it comes to net metering and interconnection standards, more states received failing grades of “F” than did passing grades of “A.”

Make that 15 for the F’s and 12 for the A’s.

The Network for New Energy Choices recently released its “Freeing the Grid 2009” report (PDF), which analyzed the existence and quality of net metering standards on a state-by-state basis.

The report card showed that 27 states received A or B grades in net metering standards, up from 13 in 2007.

However, eight states still have no net-metering program. Those states are: Alabama, Alaska, Idaho, Mississippi, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee and Texas.

The report takes an in-depth look at Oregon, which is singled out for its best practices in net-metering.

Oregon’s net metering program has an aggregation rule allowing customers who may have more than one electric meter on their property to use net metering credits at multiple sites. This allows more cost-effective use of renewable energy, according to the report.

The state also is lauded for its “simplified” interconnection procedures, as well as for reducing what Network for New Energy Choices calls “unnecessary” safety requirements for smaller systems.

States with strong renewable energy portfolio standards or goals tend to outperform others when it comes to adding solar, wind, biomass and other emerging renewable energy forms, according to new research from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory.