New data on green pricing and net metering programs

The Energy Information Administration of the Department of Energy has released 2006 data on green pricing and net metering programs across the U.S. According to the EIA, the number of "electric industry green pricing program participants increased from 442 in 2005 to 484 in 2006.  However, the total number of customers enrolled in green pricing programs decreased by almost 32 percent, falling from 942,772 in 2005 to 645,167 in 2006." EIA explained this decline in large part to the discontinuation of an Ohio-based green pricing program which lost 400,000 customers. The company running the program cited regulatory hurdles and unexpected transmission charges as reasons for the discontinuation.

The EIA also collected net metering data and reported that "the total number of electric industry participants increased from 188 in 2005 to 232 in 2006.  The total number of participating customers was 34,469 in 2006, an increase of 63 percent over 2005.  Of this total, 31,323 or 91 percent, were residential customers."

To view the full report and your state's individual data visit the EIA website here.