News from DSIRE: 8/3/12
CALIFORNIA – Non-Residential PV Rebates Back in Action
LADWP, the largest municipal utility in the United States, stopped accepting rebate applications for non-residential PV in March. This program has recently been reactivated, with an injection of $28 million in fresh funding.
CONNECTICUT – Funding on Tap for Commercial Solar Hot Water
Connecticut’s Clean Energy Finance and Investment Authority is soliciting proposals for commercial solar-thermal installations. Both grants and loans are available. Proposals will be evaluated primarily on project economics. The application deadline for this phase is August 24. (There will be two additional solicitations in the fall.)
DELAWARE – Average SREC Prices Tumble
As of early August, sales of Delaware-sourced SRECs tracked on PJM-EIS GATS averaged $189/MWh, down from $260/MWh the previous year.
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA – New CHP Tax Incentive Created (but will it last?)
The D.C. Council established a personal property tax exemption for CHP facilities in July. However, as a component of emergency legislation, this exemption is set to expire in October unless further action is taken.
GEORGIA – Jackson EMC Sweetens Solar Rebate
Jackson EMC’s rebate for solar water heating has increased from $450 to $525.
ILLINOIS – Net Metering Defibrillated
Illinois has enacted legislation (S.B. 3811) that restores net metering for customers in non-competitive classes as of July 1, 2011. The ICC has yet to establish rules implementing this new law (or for other net-metering legislation enacted in 2011). If you like net metering, this is good news.
MARYLAND – Small Wind Rebates Restructured
Maryland’s Windswept Program, which provides rebates for small to medium-sized wind turbines, has been made simpler and more inclusive. Incentive levels are now set at $3,000/kW of normalized generating capacity at a reference speed of 11 meters per second (m/s), replacing the former tiered structure that offered different incentive levels for system sizes. In addition, the maximum incentive was raised from $75,000 to $100,000, and the system size limit was increased from 100 kW to 750 kW.
MINNESOTA – Net Metering Clarified
On July 23, the Minnesota PUC ruled that for the purposes of net metering, capacity should be measured based on a system’s output averaged over a 15-minute interval. In addition, the PUC opened a new docket (No. E-999/CI-12-785) to determine the minimum amount of electricity a customer must consume onsite in order to qualify for net metering.
NEW JERSEY – Sweeping Changes Made to Solar-Carve Out
New Jersey enacted legislation (S.B. 1925) in July largely intended to address oversupply in the state’s SREC market. The numerous changes made by the bill include an acceleration of the solar standard beginning in June 2013; the establishment of a 15-year Solar Alternative Compliance Payment (SACP) schedule beginning in June 2013, at greatly reduced levels; an increase in SREC lifetime from three to five years; the creation of a specific definition of “connected to the distribution system” that solar projects must meet in order to generate SRECs; and the establishment of limits on, and approval procedures for, large-scale solar farms to qualify for the “connected to the distribution system” designation.
NEW JERSEY – Aggregate Net Metering for Government Solar Authorized
In addition to significantly amending New Jersey’s solar carve-out, a new law (S.B. 1925) also authorized aggregated net metering for public-sector solar projects. In order to qualify for aggregated net metering, the solar facility must be on property owned by the customer, must be owned and operated by the single customer, and with the exception of state entities, must be located within the customer’s territorial jurisdiction. For state government projects, all facilities must be located within five miles of one another. In addition, for all customers all facilities must be located within the territory of the same electric utility, must be served by the same basic generation service provider or electric power supplier, and must be within the same customer class of the applicable electric utility tariff.
NEW JERSEY – Small Hydro Boosted Under RPS
In addition to the widely publicized amendments to New Jersey’s solar carve-out and the authorization of aggregated net metering for government solar projects, S.B. 1925 also improved the prospects for certain small-scale hydro facilities. Low-impact hydro facilities up to 3 MW that are placed in service after July 23, 2012, are located in New Jersey and are connected to the distribution system now qualify as Class I resources. Previously, all hydropower facilities up to 30 MW were considered Class II resources.
NORTH CAROLINA – Duke Energy Terminates Special SREC Pricing
Duke Energy is no longer offering separate pricing for SRECs under its Standard Offer Program. All RECs (including SRECs) will now receive $5/MWh. Previously, SREC pricing was set at $30/MWh in 2011 and $20/MWh earlier in 2012.
RHODE ISLAND – Feed-In Tariff Reactivated
Rhode Island’s feed-in tariff re-opened July 23 and will close August 3. The current round of funding supports PV, wind and certain other renewables. Incentive rates vary by technology and system capacity, with a maximum rate of 33.35 cents/kWh. The law authorizing this program requires electric distribution companies to enter into standard contracts for an aggregate capacity of at least 40 MW by the end of 2014. Standard contracts include a fixed payment rate and a 15-year term. There are three separate enrollment periods per year; this is the second enrollment period in 2012.
SOUTH CAROLINA – Duke Energy Terminates Special SREC Pricing
Duke Energy is no longer offering separate pricing for SRECs under its Standard Offer Program. All RECs (including SRECs) will now receive $5/MWh. Previously, SREC pricing was set at $30/MWh in 2011 and $20/MWh earlier in 2012.
VERMONT – Is the End Nigh for Small Renewables Incentives?
The Vermont Department of Public Service has announced that funding for its small-scale renewable energy program is almost fully committed and will close by August 31, if not earlier. The DPS has requested additional funding for the program, but funding has not been allocated yet.
WASHINGTON – Emergency Rules Set for Renewable Energy Incentive
Washington offers a performance-based incentive for electricity generated by solar, wind and anaerobic digesters. The Department of Revenue is considering making changes to the appeal process and other aspects of the program and will hold a public meeting on August 30. In addition, emergency rules regarding the appeal process were adopted in July. (These emergency rules did not make any changes to the emergency rules adopted in April.)
