News from DSIRE: week of 11/26/12
CALIFORNIA – Marin FIT Muscles up
Marin Clean Energy, a community choice aggregator, launched a feed-in tariff in 2011. The program’s budget, originally set to support 2 MW of projects, has been expanded to support 10 MW of projects. In addition, 10-year and 15-year contracts are no longer available; participants may only enter into 20-year contracts. New pricing also has been established, with five step-downs triggered by increased program participation.
DELAWARE – SREC Pilot Program to Re-Open
The Delaware SREC Pilot Procurement Program is expected to open a new procurement period in early 2013. This program is designed to facilitate the market for SRECs and to provide a mechanism for the procurement of SRECs to ensure that retail electricity suppliers meet Delaware’s RPS requirements.
FLORIDA – Lake Worth Climbs Aboard PACE Bandwagon
The City of Lake Worth has become the most recent municipality to sign on to the Florida Green Finance Authority PACE Program. Since first formed by the towns of Lantana and Magnolia Park in the Spring of 2012, the towns of West Palm Beach, Delray Beach, Boynton Beach, Tequesta and Lake Worth have now joined the Florida Green Finance Authority PACE Program.
HAWAII – New Admin Rules Aim to Clarify PV Tax Credit
The Hawaii Department of Taxation has issued temporary administrative rules for PV systems installed on or after January 1, 2013. These temporary rules are designed to clarify how to calculate the tax credit, which has been applied inconsistently in some cases. The tax credit percentages and caps remain unchanged. The temporary rules have been submitted to the formal administrative rule process for adoption.
MASSACHUSETTS – Cambridge Solar-Thermal Rebate Program Sunsets
The Cambridge Energy Alliance’s rebate program for solar water heating has closed. This program utilized funding secured from the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant program from the U.S. Department of Energy to provide the bonus rebates to residents. Rebates under this program supplemented rebates from the state’s Commonwealth Solar Hot Water program.
MICHIGAN – Renewables Grants Available
The Michigan Biomass Energy Program is accepting grant applications through November 26. This round of funding is expected to support approximately three grants of up to $28,000 each. A total of $85,000 in funding is available. Funding is available for projects that contribute to the deployment or enhanced performance of commercialized renewables, including solar, biomass and community wind.
NEW YORK – Proposal Deadline Extended for NY-SUN PV Incentives
The deadline for proposals under the current funding round of the NY-SUN Competitive PV program for systems larger than 50 kW has been extended from November 8 to December 5. This program, formerly known as the Customer-Sited Tier Regional Incentive program, also offers incentives for anaerobic digesters located in certain areas of New York. Proposal deadlines for 2013 funding rounds (March 14 and August 29) remain unchanged.
NEW YORK – PSC Tackles Aggregate Net-Metering Limits
In October, the New York Public Service Commission tripled the aggregate capacity limit — from roughly 12 MW to 36 MW — for net-metered, non-wind renewables in Central Hudson Gas and Electric’s service territory. This expansion came in response to an industry petition after the utility briefly suspended accepting new net-metering applications upon reaching the previous aggregate cap. Shortly after ordering the increase for Central Hudson, the PSC opened cases requesting comments on potential cap increases for other utilities subject to the state’s net-metering law.
