An annual survey that gauges renewable energy policies around the country shows that in the past year states have generally made it easier for homeowners to produce their own power with small-scale photovoltaic and wind systems.

The report, called “Freeing the Grid,” grades U.S. states in two key policy areas — net metering and interconnection, which is the procedure customers must follow to connect their renewable energy systems to the grid. The survey is produced by Vote Solar and the Interstate Renewable Energy Council.

“States nationwide have generally upheld and in some cases strengthened these pillars of clean energy investment,” the report’s summary says. “Considering the overwhelming number of attempts by traditional power interests to weaken net metering over the past year, this is a major win for consumer choice and energy innovation.”

A map accompanying the report has a grade ranking for each state. Clicking on a state pulls up a more detailed explanation of connectivity and net-metering policies.

Net metering is unchanged

Net-metering rules, which give consumers credit for the electricity they supply the utility grid, showed no declines in grades over the past year, which the report called a “significant outcome.”

More than two-thirds of the states got either “A” or “B” grades in this area. Two states that already had “A” ratings — Massachusetts and Vermont — managed to make their net-metering rules even better.

For interconnection policy, the report singles out Ohio for notably improving its rules and upping its grade to an “A.” In all, half of all states get an “A” or “B” grade, with the rest in need of improvement, the report says.

Five states — California, Massachusetts, Ohio, Oregon and Utah — had excellent ratings in both policy areas.

One area of concern was an increase in the number of utilities seeking regulatory approval to impose fixed charges on net-metered systems.