Across the nation, there are states that are embracing solar, wind, and other forms of renewable energy. Sadly, there are also states that are still fighting against it, often at the request of power company and fossil fuel lobbyists. While solar alone now employs more people in the U.S. than the coal industry, and is one of the faster growing energy sources, some refuse to accept the progress and lobby states to impose fees, spread false information, and even attempt to make it illegal to be disconnected from the local power companies at all.
In 2016, Florida attempted to such moves, but fortunately voters rejected a proposal that would have made solar more expensive and difficult for residential customers to install. Meanwhile, AZ, a state that gets an incredible amount of sunshine all year round, generates only 6% of its power from solar, and there is currently a campaign, backed by APS, the main power company in AZ, to spread false information to voters in an effort to minimize any demands for expansion in solar energy production.
These are only two examples, but several other states have imposed fees on those who install solar power on their own homes, forcing citizens to continue paying fees, sometimes, small, sometimes not so small, to the various power company monopolies in the states even when they are no longer using the power grid at all. It is one thing to charge a small maintenance fee for those who decide to remain connected to the grid for whatever reason, but it is another entirely to charge fees that are little more than a veiled attempt to keep from losing revenue as more people consider going off grid entirely.
Before you decide to go to renewable energy, it is important to check into the laws in your area, and if they are trying to force you to pay fees just to go off grid, then it is time to vote in those who are not beholden to power company and fossil fuel lobbyists.
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