Net metering is no substitute for a price on carbon. For real green power, we need to storage to balance out solar generation. Net metering /prevents/ storage from being installed.
EDIT: Never going to happen? Actually it's /already/ happened. Examples:
- California already has a low carbon fuel standard[1] that regulates "well to wheel" carbon content of transportation fuels (some sources like tar sands have high carbon emissions in the production process[2]). This is a significant step towards a real carbon price and an opening to provide fuels generated through a green process.
- California' Emission Performance Standard (EPS) no longer allows use of coal-generated electricity[3] which has caused a complete phaseout of coal plants in favor of natural gas (which has half the carbon intensity). Again, this is a restriction of the carbon-intensity of power generation which is also an effective step towards a carbon price.
[1] http://www.wsj.com/articles/california-restores-rule-to-cut-...
[2] http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/tar-sands-and-keys...
[3] http://www.energy.ca.gov/renewables/tracking_progress/docume...