By SARAH KESSINGER

Harris News Service

TOPEKA -- A bill to allow net metering for residents who own wind turbines and solar panels was killed by a House energy panel by an 11-8 vote Tuesday.

The proposal would enable state residents to use their own electricity generation to offset their consumption from local utilities by allowing their electric meters to turn backward when they generate more electricity than they use.

The bill's chief sponsor, Rep. Tom Holland, D-Baldwin City, said he wasn't giving up on the measure, which was written to stimulate Kansans' renewable energy usage.

"I think the debate continues," he said. "Stay tuned."

Utilities opposed the measure, saying it subsidized certain ratepayers who could afford turbines or panels at the expense of others on a system.

Proponents, however, argued it could help utilities by relieving some of their generation needs and costs.

Rep. Bill Light, R-Rolla, said he opposed the bill because it was akin to one neighbor paying to subsidize the transmission and distribution costs of a neighbor who owns a wind turbine or solar panel.

He said it would be interesting, however, to see what the results might be if utilities surveyed customers on the issue.

Forty-four states have net metering laws in varying forms. Many couple them with renewable portfolio standards, which require electric companies to provide a certain amount of their power from renewable sources.

Rep. Mark Treaster, D-Pretty Prairie, said several of his constituents are exploring ways to expand local renewable power for economic and environmental reasons.

"I think we need net metering as a policy for the whole state," he said.