I read the letters in reference to solar energy (Oct. 29, “Waddell could promote solar on Olympic Peninsula”) in Monday’s edition.
A few facts about such systems are needed.
We installed a 6.6 kilowatt/hour system four years ago which provides about 48 percent of the power we consume.
Our system is grandfathered into the kilowatt per kilowatt reimbursement, which means we get a kilowatt returned for each kilowatt we provide to the Clallam Public Utility District.
The PUD now treats the small producer the same as any other producer, meaning the PUD only returns half of a kilowatt to the customer for each kilowatt the customer provided to the PUD.
The PUD makes a lot of money from the customer’s system; the customer should not be treated the same as the major producer.
In fairness, the state pays the customer for the total electricity produced.
Plus the federal government also has a tax incentive.
Initiative 1631 doesn’t encourage local homeowner to install such systems.
Vote no on this initiative.
Ken Larson,
Sequim