News from DSIRE: week of 10/31/11
ARIZONA – TEP Scrapes up Additional Funds for PV Rebates Tucson Electric Power suspended its up-front incentives for PV in September after exhausting all the funds it had allocated for these rebates for 2011. The Arizona Corporation Commission has since ruled on a “bridge” plan to keep the program alive for the remainder…
ARIZONA – TEP Scrapes up Additional Funds for PV Rebates
Tucson Electric Power suspended its up-front incentives for PV in September after exhausting all the funds it had allocated for these rebates for 2011. The Arizona Corporation Commission has since ruled on a “bridge” plan to keep the program alive for the remainder of 2011. This plan allows TEP to allocate just over $500,000 to fund additional systems at a rate of $0.75/W. The program will be analyzed again, and new funding will be added once the 2012 program year commences.
CONNECTICUT – Renewables Loans Resurrected
The Connecticut Clean Energy Finance and Investment Authority’s Operational Demonstration Program reopened October 27. The Op Demo Program will provide loans up to $500,000 to help technology innovators and entrepreneurs advance development and commercialization of emerging clean energy technologies. Numerous renewables are eligible.
CONNECTICUT– Grant Funding for Renewables on Offer
Connecticut’s On-Site Renewable Distributed Generation Program is soliciting proposals for Class I renewables projects, including fuel cells, small wind, biomass, landfill gas and hydro. The applications deadline is March 30, 2012. (A separate RFP – with a deadline of December 2 — was issued several weeks ago for PV.) The current round of funding will offers $4.5 million for PV, $2.5 million for fuel cells, and $1 million for other technologies.
IOWA – Renewables Tax Credit Rules Revised
Revised rules for Iowa’s Renewable Energy Production Tax Credit (corporate), adopted by the Iowa Utilities Board, took effect October 26. The rules, revised pursuant to two bills enacted earlier this year (H.F. 672 and H.F. 590), allow tax credits for renewable energy produced for on-site consumption, extend the facility in-service deadline to January 1, 2015, and increase the maximum nameplate capacity rating to 60 MW for non-wind facilities. Renewable Energy Production Tax Credit (personal)
MARYLAND – Green Building Tax Credits Perform Encore
Maryland offers an income tax credit for the incorporation of green building features into non-residential and multi-family residential buildings of at least 20,000 square feet, with specific credit amounts for renewables such as PV and wind turbines. This credit, established in 2001, has an aggregate cap of $25 million. By 2005, initial credit certificates sufficient to fill this cap had been authorized. However, the Maryland Energy Administration recently announced that project cancellations have made available a total of $13 million in credit certificates for new applications. The deadline for the issuance of new initial credit certificates is December 31, 2011. Income Tax Credit for Green Buildings (Corporate) Income Tax Credit for Green Buildings (Personal)
NORTH CAROLINA – Sun Sets on Progress SunSense Program
Progress Energy’s performance-based incentive for commercial PV provides payments of $0.18/ kWh for systems between 11 kW and 500 kW. Progress Energy announced on October 28 that it had received enough applications to consume the 5 MW had budgeted for 2011. The program is now closed, but it will reopen on January 2. Program details for 2012 will be announced on Progress Energy’s web site in mid-December.
OREGON – Energy Trust Raises Rebates for 3rd-Party-Owned PV
Energy Trust of Oregon increased the per-watt incentive for third-party owned residential systems, but maximum caps did not change. Incentives for third-party-owned residential systems now match incentive levels for other residential systems. For systems in Pacific Power’s service territory, the rebate increased from $1.00/W to $1.50/W. For systems in PGE’s service territory, the rebate increased from $1.25/W to $1.75/W.
OREGON – Energy Trust Hikes Maximum Incentive for Small Wind
The maximum cap for commercial small wind-energy systems has been raised from $80,000 to $100,000, and the way the incentive is calculated now mirrors that for residential systems. Previously, the incentive was the lesser of $3,750 per meter of rotor diameter, or $4,000 per rated kW of the wind turbine. Now, the incentive for both residential and commercial installations is the lesser of $4,500 per meter of rotor diameter, or $4,500 per rated kW of the wind turbine.
OREGON – Energy Trust Cooks up Methodology for Solar-Thermal Incentives
The Oregon Energy Trust’s incentive for residential gas customers to install solar water heating systems has changed slightly. Previously, the incentive was $0.30 per first-year kWh saved. Now, the incentive is $8.00 per first-year therm saved.
UTAH – Rebate Program Gets Another Shot in the Arm
Utah launched a statewide incentive program for solar water heating, PV and wind in April 2010 using funds from the federal stimulus act. After the original $3 million was exhausted, an additional $1 million was injected into the program in August 2011. Moreover, an additional $200,000 was added to the program on October 20, 2011.
