FTC’s June Conference Looks at Competition and Consumer Protection in Burgeoning Solar Industry

The Federal Trade Commission is holding a one-day workshop in Washington D.C. on June 21, 2016, to tackle some of the issues present in solar energy. With solar, consumers will have the opportunity to generate their own energy on a scale not seen since wood stoves fell out of fashion. This is bound to present dynamic changes in the economics of energy provision, and consumers, producers, and policy makers should get a firm grasp on these dynamics as solar continues to bear a greater proportional burden of our energy needs.

Four topics will be the main focus of the workshop.

  • The current state of the industry generally, and the noteworthy technological changes and advancements that are on the horizon
  • Regulatory approaches to compensation for consumers who generate their own power, and specifically net metering laws
  • Competition, both financially and technologically, within the solar energy industry and with other utilities and technologies
  • Consumer protection issues, including helping consumers make informed decisions about installing panels

The conference is free and open to the public, if you are in the D.C. area. It will also be live webcast, the link for which will provided at the FTC’s website the day of the event. The Federal Trade Commission is accepting public comment on the issues to be discussed in this even both before and after the event. If you would like to have your comment possibly be considered at the event itself, it must be submitted before June 7, but comments will be taken through August 22. Details on how to comment and the event venue can be found here.