News from DSIRE: 5/11/12
ARIZONA – Utility PV Rebates Run Dry in the Desert
As of May 4, the funds that UES set aside for residential photovoltaic (PV) rebates for 2012 have run out. For now, incentives are still available for non-residential PV and an assortment of other renewables.
ARIZONA – Utility Launches 2012 Incentive Program
Following a very successful 2011 program year, SRP has re-launched the EarthWise Solar Incentive Program for the 2012 fiscal year. The utility has a substantially larger budget to support a total of 12 megawatts (MW) of residential PV and 16.5 MW of non-residential PV. Residential and small commercial rebates start at $0.50 per watt and are scheduled to step down twice as MW targets are met.
CALIFORNIA – Utility’s Feed-in Tariff has a CLEAN Slate for May
City of Palo Alto Utilities launched their CLEAN program in April with a budget for 4 MW of PV for 2012. The utility announced at the end of the month that they had not received any applications, so the full budget is still available. Any takers?
FLORIDA – FP&L PV Rebates Gone in a Flash
Florida Power & Light re-opened its PV rebate program on May 3 at 8:30 am, only to have it close less than 20 minutes later. Approximately $3.3 million in funding was available to applicants. Another round of funding will possibly become available in the summer of 2012. Applications for 2013 funding will be accepted in October 2012.
FLORIDA – Tampa Electric PV Rebate Program Full
Funding for the Tampa Electric solar PV rebate program has been fully allocated. Of the $1.5 million budgeted for this program annually, $1 million is reserved for PV systems.
MICHIGAN – Consumers EARP Phase 6 Closed
The sixth phase of Consumers Energy PV buy-back tariff program, EARP, closed on May 3. The next round will open in July for residential customers.
MINNESOTA – Legislature Refocuses State Public Benefit Fund and Grants
Minnesota passed a law in April that refocuses the state’s Renewable Development Fund (RDF), clarifying the purposes for which the funds can be used. The law also removes the guaranteed funding for the University of Minnesota’s Initiative for Renewable Energy and the Environment. Grants funded by the RDF have been suspended since May 2011, and are scheduled to re-open in July.
NEW YORK – NY-SUN-Rises
The recently unveiled NY-SUN Initiative aims to quadruple 2011 annual PV capacity installations within the state by 2013. In late April 2012, the New York Public Service Commission (PSC) approved additional funding for PV programs within the Customer-Sited Tier (CST) of New York’s RPS in order to facilitate the achievement of the NY-SUN targets. The small PV incentive program was allocated an additional $13.5 million in funding for 2013 and the Geographic Balancing program was allocated an additional $36.4 million for 2012 and $40.5 million for 2013. NYSERDA must submit a revised CST Operating Plan to the PSC by June 2012.
NEW YORK – Small PV and Small Wind Get a Boost in 2012
In April 2012, the New York PSC approved a petition by the NYSERDA to reallocate unspent 2011 funds to the 2012 small PV and small wind incentive programs. The small PV program received $17.6 million in additional funding and the small wind program received $1.5 million in additional funding. The PSC also approved a revision to the small PV incentive program that allows non-profit, school, and municipal projects to be considered “non-residential” in nature, increasing the cap on incentives from 25 kilowatts (kW) to 50 kW. PV Incentive Program. Small Wind Incentive Program
NORTH CAROLINA – NC GreenPower Issues RFP for Large Renewables
NC GreenPower, a voluntary green power purchasing program that most NC utilities participate in, has a standard offer production incentive for PV systems 5 kW or smaller and wind energy systems 10 kW or smaller. Larger PV and wind systems and other renewables can only sell into NC GreenPower when an RFP is issued. NC GreenPower issued its newest RFP on May 1st and is accepting applications until the end of the month. Winners will be announced in July.
OHIO – Cogeneration Facility to Allowed to Qualify for RPS
In April, the Ohio General Assembly passed SB 289, allowing cogeneration energy from a single steel manufacturing plant to count towards the RPS. In addition, the facility is eligible for certain state air quality grants.
TEXAS – Austin Energy Offers Solar Loans
Austin Energy currently offers two types of loans for residential customers wanting to finance solar water heating and solar PV systems.
WISCONSIN – Focus on Energy Revamps Renewables Programs
In April, the Wisconsin PSC issued an order under Docket 5-GF-191 revising the Focus on Energy renewables programs. The order specifies that all renewable programs must meet certain benefit-to-cost ratio minimums and energy efficiency requirements. The PSC determined that certain technologies are most likely to meet these conditions, and has limited Focus on Energy’s renewable energy rebate and grant programs to biogas, biomass, geothermal, solar thermal, and solar photovoltaic systems. The grant and rebate programs are expected to open in June and July, respectively.
