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LOS ANGELES, California, US, August 9, 2006
(Refocus Weekly)
The largest municipal utility in the United
States has approved new guidelines for its solar PV rebate program.
The Los Angeles Department of Water & Power approved the
performance-based guidelines, in order to provide financial rebates
to customers who install solar systems on their homes or business.
Approval of the plan demonstrates the utility’s commitment to the
environment, renewable energy and the Los Angeles economy, officials
state.
The revised guidelines are designed to meet escalating requests by
customers who are eager to participate in “one of the largest solar
electric system installation programs” in the country. The Solar
Program helps LADWP to move towards its goal of sourcing 20% of its
energy from renewables by 2010.
“LADWP is fully committed to its solar program,” says general
manager Ron Deaton. “As of July 2006, over US$85 million has been
paid in incentives to more than 600 LADWP customers and on LADWP
solar projects.”
“We are working to make solar systems affordable to our customers,”
he adds. “The program is designed with declining rebates over time,
as in the future it is hoped that no incentives will be needed.”
The utility intends to serve all interested customers without
further disruptions, noting that the new program will use the design
of a solar system to determine the incentive value based on output,
not on system size as in the past. Its internet site has an on-line
calculator to estimate system output and calculate a rebate, which
will vary depending upon size, tilt, position and location of the PV
system.
The Solar Incentive Program includes two separate funding categories
to ensure broad and equitable distribution of incentive funds, and
includes $750,000 to support installation of solar in affordable
housing. New applications will be accepted only via regular postal
delivery and based on the envelope postmark; “no other form of
submission will be accepted in order to apply for a rebate.”
All customers on a waiting list have been serviced, and the revised
program considers future projections of potential demand to avoid
another waiting list. The utility will monitor the program to ensure
that demand does not outpace the budget or projections, and it will
be reviewed to see if adjustments need to be made to align with the
California Solar Initiative that is expected to be implemented next
year.
The ten-year $150 million solar PV buy-down rebate program started
in 2000 and is due to expire in June 2011. It encourages residents
and businesses to use renewable energy by providing rebates that
reduce the cost of installing solar electric systems.
The goal of the program is 100,000 solar rooftops in Los Angeles by
2010, and is open only to LADWP customers. Residential customers are
offered an incentive of $0.14 per kWh for qualified PV equipment
and, to qualify, equipment must be listed by Underwriter’s
Laboratories (UL) and be approved by the California Energy
Commission. The solar program includes an LA Manufacturing Credit,
in which a system will qualify for an additional incentive of 2˘ if
it is manufactured in Los Angeles, for a total maximum incentive of
16˘ per kWh.
LADWP is the largest municipally-owned utility in the U.S., and
serves 3.9 million people in the city of Los Angeles. The Solar PV
Rebate Program is part of its Green LA Environmental Programs that
include energy efficiency, tree planting, green power and recycling.
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