Preston Municipal Electric Utility - Renewable Energy Rebates

January 01, 2011

Summary

Rebates for renewable-energy systems are available to residential and small commercial customers of some WPPI Energy utilities, including Preston Municipal Electric Utility. Customers must reside in the service territory of the participating utility, and the system must be installed on the customer's property. Projects must be approved by the utility before installation. The following technologies generally qualify for a cash rebate: Residential Solar Water-Heating Systems For new systems using electricity as the backup water-heating fuel, eligible customers will receive a rebate of $30 per square foot of collector area. Systems using propane, natural gas, or fuel oil as the backup water-heating fuel are not eligible for a rebate. The maximum award is the lesser of $3,500 or 35% of project cost. Solar-Thermal Heating Systems Rebates are available for solar-thermal heating systems for buildings that use electricity as their primary heat source. (Electric space heating must provide more than 50% of the building’s space-heating needs.) Eligible customers will receive a rebate of $30 per square foot of collector area. The maximum award is the lesser of $3,500 or 35% of project cost. Photovoltaic (PV) Systems For rack-mounted or building-integrated PV systems rated 20 kilowatts (kW) or less, eligible customers may receive a one-time rebate based on estimated annual electricity production, calculated using the "PV Watts" program developed by the National Renewable Energy Lab (NREL). A rebate of $3 per kilowatt-hour (kWh) is available for systems incorporated into new construction. A rebate of $2.50 per kWh is available for systems on existing buildings if the system is installed by a NABCEP-certified installer. The rebate is $2 per kWh for systems on existing buildings if the system is not installed by a NABCEP-certified installer. The maximum incentive is $10,000. For planned grid-connected systems, the local electric utility must approve system interconnection prior to installation. Small Wind-Energy Systems For qualifying wind-energy systems rated 20 kW or less, eligible customers may receive a rebate of up to the lesser of $10,000 or 25% of system costs. The actual rebate level may be lower than 25% of system costs depending on expected system performance. For planned grid-connected systems, the local electric utility must approve system interconnection prior to installation. Site Assessments Eligible customers will receive a rebate covering 75% of a site assessment if a renewable-energy system is feasible. The maximum rebate for feasibility studies is $375. Site assessments must be performed by a certified site assessor. Repairs of Existing Systems For service and repairs to existing solar water-heating systems, PV systems and wind-energy systems, owners will receive a rebate equal to 50% of the cost of service and repairs, with a maximum incentive of $2,500. This includes routine maintenance, as well as major system repairs.

Program Overview

Implementing Sector: Utility
Category: Financial Incentive
State: Iowa
Incentive Type: Rebate Program
Web Site: http://www.wppienergy.org/recustomerincentive
Administrator: WPPI Energy
Start Date:
Eligible Renewable/Other Technologies:
  • Solar Water Heat
  • Solar Space Heat
  • Solar Photovoltaics
  • Wind (All)
  • Wind (Small)
Incentive Amount: Solar-thermal systems: $30/sq. foot of collector area;
PV systems: $2-$3/projected annual kWh;
Wind-energy systems: Varies based on expected system performance;
Site assessments: 75% of fee;
Repairs to existing systems: 50% of project cost
Maximum Incentive: Solar-thermal systems: lesser of $3,500 or 35% of project cost;
PV systems: $10,000;
Wind-energy systems: lesser of $10,000 or 25% of project cost;
Site assessments: $375;
Repairs to existing systems: $2,500
Eligible System Size: Wind and PV systems: 20 kW or less
Equipment Requirements: Solar-thermal equipment must be certified by the SRCC and backed by an extended warranty; wind energy systems must come from a list of accepted models.
Installation Requirements: Solar equipment should be installed by an experienced solar contractor. All electrically-operated components must meet applicable safety requirements of the NEC.

Contact

Name: Eric Kostecki
Organization: Wisconsin Public Power, Inc. (WPPI)
Address: 1425 Corporate Center Drive
Sun Prairie WI 53590-9109
Phone: (800) 255-9774
Email: ekostecki@wppienergy.org

This information is sourced from DSIRE; the most comprehensive source of information on incentives and policies that support renewables and energy efficiency in the United States. Established in 1995, DSIRE is operated by the N.C. Clean Energy Technology Center at N.C. State University.