South Carolina unanimously passes solar bill to lift 2% net metering cap

The South Carolina legislature on Thursday unanimously passed The Energy Freedom Act, a comprehensive solar bill that will lift the state's 2% cap on net metering, among many other pro-solar actions. Urgent need for a comprehensive solar strategy has been growing in South Carolina since Duke Energy Carolina customers hit the 2% net metering cap in July and the bill was supported by utilities and solar developers alike as a way to address increased hunger for solar power in the state. Tension over PURPA contract lengths was the only thing preventing the bill from gaining support from its final opponent Duke Energy last week. An amendment compromising those terms by setting a minimum 10 year contract length and requiring regulatory approval after that, brought the bill back to the Senate for a concurrence vote.