I think the most interesting twist is how power companies now want to charge customers higher rates for producing part of their own energy.
That is, if you spend $30,000 to install solar panels, and even put energy back in to the system to pay lower rates, the energy companies are now saying that you should have to pay *more* than other customers for the same energy.
Their rationale for this is that they have to provide all the energy infrastructure for everybody, so by paying less for energy, or not using as much energy, “it is like stealing” from the other customers who don’t.
Yeah, that is utter hooey. Importantly, zoning laws in many municipalities *require* that even if you produce *all* your own energy, you still *must* be connected to the grid, or else the property is “not fit for human occupation.” They use this same racket to require people to have a municipal water supply, and pay the fees for it, even if they don’t use it.
Not going to happen.
When too many people "sell back" power, the line voltage rises uncontrollably, because the generation is no longer balanced with the load. Even 20% of people doing that is enough to upset the apple cart and start popping breakers and reclosers all over the place.
Grid-tied power generation is a fantasy. People should be consuming the power they generate, not "selling it back" as if it were some commodity like corn that can be stored.