Farmer Wins Solar Battle with Central Hudson

It seems that the more you look around the Hudson Valley the more solar panels you'll see.

Lots of people are trying to lower their electric bills by going solar, including big businesses, residential homes and even farmers.

William Werba, who is an apple farmer in Ulster County, won a decision by the Public Service Commission that will allow him to now off set his electric bill with solar credits, according to the Poughkeepsie Journal.

Central Hudson claimed the farmer was not entitled to use the solar credits because his farm and his house are two different things, because the farm is registered as a limited liability corporation and his home is in his name.

The electric company says that fact is what has disqualified the farmer from state rules that allow farmers to generate energy in one location and offset costs at another owned by the same farmer. That process is called remote net metering.

The Public Service Commission disagreed with Central Hudson and ruled in the farmers favor, which will now allow Werba to use the solar credits.