Letters to the Editor: The solutions we need won’t come from electricity companies or politicians

To the editor: I was surprised to learn about the Demand Side Grid Support program (“Sacramento should save the program that is saving the grid,” Aug. 25). I’ve had solar panels with batteries for a few years now, currently under the NEM 2.0 program, and use my batteries to minimize my use of the grid at peak times (and to achieve a higher credit for solar produced at peak times). Nevertheless, I had never heard of the program either from my provider, Southern California Edison, or from my Enphase app.

But, to be honest, I wouldn’t participate anyway. I’ve tried letting Edison control my smart thermostat and my electric vehicle charger, and both impacted my quality of life enough that I unenrolled in the programs. Further, based on the Legislature’s lack of support for residential solar (through the disastrous policies of the Public Utilities Commission), I no longer trust it or the electricity providers to do anything that benefits users such as myself. Real-world solutions are what are needed and they won’t come from the electrical providers or the politicians in their pockets.

Allen Simmons, Long Beach