The Wilson Solar Owners Network

The Wilson Solar Owners Network is a group of residential solar system owners challenging the City of Wilson (COW) for their right to produce solar energy and use it on their own systems. Sounds pretty straightforward doesn't it.

So what's the problem. The COW, Wilson Energy and the right of  a citizen to exercise their rights in Wilson NC. Sounds familiar doesn't it. There's a term used often these days that applies to this situation ... It's called government over-reach.

We recently came across this group of solar homeowners on facebook and connected the dots when we read a recent news article, 'Council stalls energy policy change'.

Here are a couple posts from their FB page. We all can lend our community support to this worthy cause. Stop by and LIKE their page. We all know the cost of high utility bills in Wilson.

(Feb 20th)
Every day...especially on bright sunny days like today...the 11 or so homes that have installed solar panels in the Wilson Energy distribution system are cranking out clean, renewable energy. BUT...Wilson Energy SEIZES all that solar energy. They won't allow the owners to use the energy they are producing! Wilson Energy SEIZES the energy, pays the owner about 4 cents per kilowatt hour, then resells that energy to to the owner at the retail rate of 13.1 cents per kilowatt hour.... The owner NEVER gets to uses his solar power before it is sent to Wilson Energy. This is outrageous and is the reason there are so few residential or small business solar panel systems in the 30,000 customer base of Wilson Energy. How can a City Council allow this unjust, unethical practice to go on? The same reason our electric rates are among the highest in the state? When is Wilson going to get on board with renewable energy, saving the planet and reversing climate change?


(Feb 19th)
Wilson City Council DOES hate solar. We thought we were on the precipice of a change that would make solar generation system ownership more attractive in our community. However, tonight at the City Council meeting, in the 11th hour, after months of negotiation and compromise, Councilman Logan Liles asked that the Council delay the vote on the revised Renewable Energy Policy - the very one that the City Staff met with us on just last week - until the Duke buyout is complete later in the year. All Council members except Tom Fyle, voted to table the matter. Thank you, Mr. Fyle for taking a stand...just too bad you were alone.

We should have anticipated this turn of events given the City Manager "threatened" in an email to us back on January 30th to recommend delaying the action - just like it happened.
If you want change in Wilson, please email or call your Council Representative and demand that Wilson join this century and encourage solar generation rather than squash it. Green, clean energy is the future. Why is Wilson so slow to join the fight to save the planet? Why does Wilson want to continue to support dirty Duke energy that is causing so much damage to the environment and to the climate? As it stands now, the City of Wilson continues to steal solar energy from system owners and stay dependent on dirty energy. It is a sad state of affairs.
We will continue to fight for solar justice. It's the right thing to do and way past time for the City's antiquated policy to change. We are not going away. We will continue to fight.