Unanimous Approval of Energy Freedom Act by South Carolina Senate Sustains Vibrant Market
Columbia, S.C. – Let Freedom ring! The South Carolina Senate unanimously voted in favor of the Energy Freedom Act yesterday. This comprehensive solar bill will sustain all segments of the vibrant solar market in the state. It eliminates caps on net metering thereby preserving value for customers with rooftop solar generation while eliminating cost shift/subsidization. The act also ensures fair market access for developers of utility-scale solar projects. Across the spectrum, the Energy Freedom Act protects jobs for hard-working South Carolinians in this field, adding certainty to a healthy economic driver in the state. Equally important, the bill asserts that it is “the intent of the General Assembly to expand the opportunity to support solar energy and support access to solar energy options for all South Carolinians.”
SACE joined with other parties in months of engagement after a less comprehensive bill failed in 2018. This process, coordinated by the Office of Regulatory Staff, helped to inform appropriate policy elements ultimately enshrined in this legislation. Conservative leadership in both chambers was critical to assure the success of this bill and the end result is a testament to bi-partisan teamwork and agreement on many key tenets of the energy market. After previously passing unanimously in the House, the bill returned today for affirmation of amendments incorporated during the Senate deliberations. All amendments were agreed upon, and the bill now will head to the Governor’s desk for signature.
“We applaud the leadership in both the House and Senate,” said Bryan Jacob, Solar Program Director at Southern Alliance for Clean Energy. “Conservative leaders in South Carolina are demonstrating how bi-partisan legislation can preserve sustainable solar markets providing both economic and clean energy benefits for the state.”
Since 1985, the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy has worked to promote responsible energy choices to ensure clean, safe and healthy communities throughout the Southeast. Learn more at www.cleanenergy.org.