Solar Power Cost Blog

Archive for the ‘solar rebates’ Category

21 Sates Have rebates. If you lease a system here in CA, the lease is for 2o years, you pay nothing, and it locks in your energy costs at the rate of your bill today.

Database of State Incentives for Renewables & Efficiency

http://dsireusa.org/

Other states aren’t as fortunate as California in terms of amount of sun vs. electricity prices.

California’s rebate is small, as it has been ramping down for years. The Federal tax credit dominates, the same credit that is available in any state.

Our system, which is 3 kW, supplies substantially all our electrical needs for the year. But we’re a conservative user of electricity – no A/C, no electric heat, no pool pump, no big screen TV. Like 95% of solar systems installed today, it uses no batteries. At today’s prices, the system would cost $9000, including tax and shipping, but not labor, and not including tax credit. We paid no labor, as it was a self-install, but for another person, possibly the tax credit would balance out the labor. Assuming the system lasts 20 years, the cost per kWh is 7.5 cents. This is how a lease can make money, since the cost of electricity is currently more like 15 cents per kWh here. In a place with less sun or cheaper electricity, this arrangement would not work.

As prices of panels drop, I expect systems to become financially advantageous in more and more areas, even without added incentives. But not yet.

To the assertion that solar panels never return the energy put into their manufacture, that was once true, perhaps in 1980. Here is a document from the National Renewable Energy Labs with a more recent analysis http://www.nrel.gov/docs/fy04osti/35489.pdf . A modern solar electric panel is a good location will return the energy of its manufacture in about 2 years.

21 States have Renewable Energy Rebates. The technology is simple and uses Silicon the same semi-conductor used for computer chip. The panels are warranted for 25 years. In CA you can lease it for ZERO down, it will last 25 years, you pay what your power bill is in 2011, and the cost never goes up. Why are so many so misinformed.

http://dsireusa.org/

There are Rebates (which come from the Power Company) they do this because they buy cheaper power from you, and buy it locally and it’s clean energy. In addition there is a Federal Tax Refund. Does not come close to the incentives we give for Oil and Corn Ethanol.

Just heard from a freind that you can actually get paid for any extra energy that your solar or wind power generator makes and does not use.

Cargill, ADM and ConAgra reap around $15 billion per year in profits. US Ag policy assures that these companies receive gigantic farm subsidies forever.

Our house faces North and gets sun all day untill late afternoon , is a colorbond roof. Any idea of the approximate cost and any rebates? Which companys give the best service and value? Is it possible to do it yourself?
Thanks

Australia? I believe installing yourself is not allowed, or at least invalidates the incentives. Check with a solar installer near you – they should have all the details on the local program. I hear of a lot of small systems going in for Australia – like 1 to 1.5 kW, and think that’s because that’s the point at which the government incentive is of maximum benefit.

We put in solar, but live in the US, so our laws and tariffs are different from yours. Self-install was legal, for one thing. So unfortuantely, I don’t think our experience will map well to your situation.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/10/29/3051393.htm?site=midnorthcoast&section=news

So the government have changed the rate you get back from feeding power into the grid from .60c to .20c a kilowat now. Fair? I don’t think so with the amount some business’s and private residences have forked out to be green and make a profit off the sun, now it will take 3 times as long.

I thought it was guaranteed to stay at 60c a kilowat for 7 yrs? Anyone have any experience in this solar field?

Thanks.
Not happy.
lol… I guess i thought it was supposed to stay the same for 7 years guaranteed. oh well. I’ll have to check the contract, or ask the installer.

You live in a country founded on convicts, the scum of England, then you’re surprised to be robbed?
Come on now.

I thought of solar rebates as an example of one that facilitates sustainability, now I need a practice that impedes it. Thanks in advance.

New environmental regulations in the USA impede business. If a company has to spend money on new equipment and processes, then they either have to raise prices or move production offshore where there are no regulations. Environmental regulations can be up to 10% of the price of doing business in the USA. That makes it hard to compete with offshore goods. In fact we are also seeing that new EPA regulations are actually INCREASING global pollution by causing the move of industry to non-regulated countries. EPA is seriously going to have to consider regulating goods sold to the USA based on those countries having similar laws.

Solar panels to electric cars. Other new products don’t nee government rebates. Can I get a rebate on my Ipad? It uses less energy. You don’t need government rebates for viable products.

It is all about killing business and setting up his Socialist utopia.
Socialism always fails, so it must be subsidized.
To put it bluntly. Socialism can never succeed on its own. It MUST be attached, like a parasite, to a blood supply (money supply) that comes form a viable source. Without that blood supply it will wither and die.
Too much leaching, and the "host" dies.

where to get forms

Here you go:

Note: If the specific form is not available directly on this page you can contact the state agency and request a mailing.

I just started in marketing and sales for a local solar company which is getting ready for the influx of customers due to the rebate package that was just passed. So now I need to figure out who to talk to about it. Where would you look for folks wanting solar power in Austin?

See if you can arrange to have a table or demonstration at Home Depot. Installers do that in our area.

Earth Day is in April, and there may be Earth Day Fairs in your area. Try to get a booth, there.

And the best advertising is word of mouth, so if you can do your first system or first few systems virtually at cost (or a loss), word will get around that you’re the cheapest. And take care of your customers. One unhappy customer does more damage than 10 satisfied customers help.

You might also offer a referral bonus to your customers in the event they sign a friend with you.

I am studying renewable energy in Engineering.
Unfortunatly the Australian govt. does not consider it to be a recognised training program.
I have had to move to science while turning up to night classes in Renewable energy.
Now the government has cut my welfare as I am not in a "government approved training course"..;..
Yet the government offers 8k flat rebate off 12k solar panel system installations. Even larger ratio rebates for solar hot water.
I am one of few studying it, I even met Kevin Rudd what he thought of it, when I met him, he said I am in the right industry and I should stick with it.
Now the government says I owe THEM 15,000 back in welfare payments (which they have now cut) as I am not in a government approved training course.
considering i only get 12k a year welfare, this is just madness telling me solar & P.V course are not government accredited. They said it would be this year but I have to do an irrelevant science course to keep my welfare.
Is this madness?
of coarse the renewable energy course is only being offered part time, even though I have been nearly undertaking full-time study load with the subjects and classes.
I am royally screwed.
I am half way through a Science Cert IV and half way through a Engineering Diploma in renewable energy (which almost noone in the whole of australia will have) and I have been kicked off my welfare payments when I could finish it all off next year and get a huge edge in the work force. YET IT IS NOT RECOGNISED BY CENTRELINK OR THE GOVERNMENT THE WORK FORCE AND INDUSTRY I AM IN.
Seriously I need some help with any ideas anyone has on how to get through this beureucratic madness I am in.

You are right, that really does suck, but I don’t understand why you weren’t aware that part time courses do not meet the requirements for Austudy. However crap it is, it does sound like your own fault. You’d better go and do your irrelevent science course or you won’t have a chance to finish your sensible and useful course. Vote Greens eh?