[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 178 (Friday, September 15, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 43345-43346]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-19647]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY


Costs and Benefits of Net Energy Metering: Request for 
Information

AGENCY: Office of Energy Policy and Systems Analysis, Department of 
Energy.

ACTION: Notice of request for information (RFI).

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The U.S. Congress has directed the U.S. Department of Energy 
(DOE or Department), as part of the Grid Modernization Initiative, to 
conduct a study of the cost and benefit considerations of net metering 
to utilities (utility business perspective), ratepayers (consumer 
perspective), and the electrical grid (technical/operational 
perspective). There have been numerous studies assessing the impacts of 
net metering in states across the United States. As part of this study, 
DOE seeks stakeholder input on existing studies (2012-present) 
assessing the costs and benefits of net metering, and the availability 
of data that can be used in conducting such studies. DOE expects to use 
this input to help inform its report to Congress.

DATES: Public comments are due on or before October 30, 2017.

ADDRESSES: 
    Electronic: Interested persons are encouraged to submit comments 
electronically identified by docket number EERE-2017-OT-0056 to 
[[email protected]]. Your response should be limited to 
8 pages.
    Email: [[email protected]]. Include EERE-2017-OT-
0056 in the subject line of the message. Comments, data, and other 
information submitted to DOE electronically should be provided in PDF, 
Microsoft Word or Excel, WordPerfect, or text (ASCII) file format. 
Provide documents that are not secured, are written in English, and are 
free of any defects or viruses. Documents should not contain special 
characters or any form of encryption and, if possible, they should 
carry the electronic signature of the author.
    Or Mail to: U.S. Department of Energy, 1000 Independence Ave. SW., 
Mailstop EP-60, Office of Energy Policy and Systems Analysis, Net 
Metering Comments.
    Instructions: All submissions received must include the agency name 
and docket number.
    Docket: The docket is available for review at www.regulations.gov, 
including Federal Register notices, comments, and other supporting 
documents/materials (search EERE-2017-OT-0056).
    The docket Web page can be found at:  http://www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=EERE-2017-OT-0056.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Kate Marks, EPSA, U.S. Department 
of Energy, Office of Energy Policy and Systems Analysis, 1000 
Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20585-0121. Telephone: (202) 
586-9842, Email: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: DOE seeks stakeholder input on information 
or existing studies (2012-present) assessing the costs and benefits 
involved in net energy metering (NEM), and the availability of data 
that can be used in conducting such studies. DOE expects to use this 
input to help inform its report on net metering cost-benefit analyses.
    DOE is interested in several specific types of information related 
to NEM cost-benefit studies, including:
    1. Motivations and the policy context for conducting NEM cost-
benefit studies, including the role of cost-benefit analysis in driving 
policy decisions around NEM and related policies; descriptions of other 
considerations for policymakers considering NEM and related policies.
    2. Categories of costs and benefits--describe relevant categories 
of costs and benefits and reasons for inclusion or exclusion of these 
categories in NEM studies.
    3. Methodological issues--identify key methodological elements that 
can vary significantly when quantifying factors considered in the 
benefit-cost analysis. Key drivers that might be considered include, 
but are not limited

[[Page 43346]]

to, local policy objectives and local electricity system fundamentals.
    4. Fundamental drivers and underlying market conditions--identify 
key drivers that establish the context for the values and cause 
differing outcomes among studies of cost/benefit results in a 
particular category, such as differing levels of excess generation 
capacity, transmission, or distribution system capacity, projected 
demand growth, level of penetration and location of distributed 
generation, retail prices, etc.
    5. Are there specific emerging issues related to net metering cost-
benefit analyses that are improving or complicating the application of 
benefit-cost analysis?
    The following items are considered out of scope of the report and 
information on these items should not be included in the responses:
    1. Costs and benefits of distributed solar generation beyond 
distributed solar's impact on net metering;
    2. Indirect cost/benefits (e.g., societal impacts, network effects) 
that go beyond what is included in existing analyses;
    3. Recommendations on
    a. How to conduct cost/benefit analysis,
    b. NEM design options,
    c. Transitions to alternative forms of compensation.
    All interested parties are invited to submit in writing by the date 
specified in the DATES section of this RFI, comments and information on 
all elements listed in this SUPPLEMENTARY section. Please submit 
comments only and cite docket number EERE-2017-OT-0056, in all 
correspondence related to this case. All comments received will be 
posted without change to http://www.regulations.gov, including any 
personal and/or business confidential information provided.
    Do not submit to the RFI information for which disclosure is 
restricted by statute, such as trade secrets and commercial or 
financial information (hereinafter referred to as Confidential Business 
Information (CBI)). Comments submitted to the RFI email address cannot 
be claimed as CBI. Comments received through the RFI address will waive 
any CBI claims for the information submitted. DOE plans to publish all 
information received in response to this RFI.

    Issued in Washington, DC, on September 12, 2017.
Sean Cunningham,
Director, Office of Energy Policy and Systems Analysis, U.S. Department 
of Energy.
[FR Doc. 2017-19647 Filed 9-14-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6450-01-P