Can CO solar avoid falling off a cliff?

May 6, 2013 | By Barbara Vergetis Lundin

As more and more of its consumers show an increasing interest in onsite solar installations, Xcel Energy has reached an agreement with the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) and the Colorado Solar Energy Industries Association (COSEIA) to jointly propose to the Colorado Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) an increase in program capacity for 2013.

The proposal is an attempt to avoid disruption to Xcel's Solar*Rewards program for small-sized solar installations, which encourages the growth of solar energy and offers customers incentives to install solar panels electric systems on their homes and businesses. A compliance plan approved by the CPUC in 2012, which made additional capacity available for Xcel's Solar*Rewards program, is already fully subscribed. Without commission approval to expand the capacity once again, incentives for installation of systems of 10 kilowatts or less would end for the remainder of the year -- until a new compliance plan is approved for 2014 and beyond.

"This proposal will help the Colorado solar industry avoid falling off a cliff…," said Sara Birmingham, director of state affairs at SEIA.

As with prior Solar*Rewards offerings, the proposal will include performance-based incentives for both customer and third-party owned small solar systems.

"Coloradans have continued to show interest in on-site solar installations. We believe it is important to keep this program available to the market for the remainder of 2013 by moving forward capacity that was planned for next year," said David Eves, president and CEO of Public Service Co. of Colorado, an Xcel Energy company. "It is also important to continue to reduce our program incentive levels and provide transparency as solar energy costs decline and these installations become more prevalent."

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http://www.fierceenergy.com/story/can-co-solar-avoid-falling-cliff/2013-05-06