Rocky Mountain Power - Solar Incentive Program

Summary

Note: Applications for 2015 were accepted during a two-week period from January 15 to 5:00 PM through January 29, 2015. The program is now closed through the remainder of 2015.

Rocky Mountain Power's Solar Incentive Program has a total budget of $50 million for calendar years 2013 through 2017. That budget is divided between program years and program sectors (residential, small non-residential, and large non-residential). Eligible systems must be net-metered, and the statewide maximum system size for net-metered systems is 25 kilowatts (kW) for residential and 2 MW for non-residential. Participants in this program may size their systems up to the maximums allowed by net metering, but incentives will be restricted based on the sizes referenced below. 

The incentive amount available to each program sector is designed to step down every year according to the following schedule:

The incentives are intended to stimulate development up to annual incentive program capacity goals. The annual goals can be found below:

Rocky Mountain Power will accept applications during the first two weeks of each program year for all three program sectors. Winners will be selected via lottery. If there is remaining capacity available for a sector after the lottery, additional applicants will be awarded incentives on a first come, first served basis. If, however, the capacity available for a sector is over-subscribed during the lottery, additional applicants will be added to a wait list.

Residential and small non-residential applicants will receive their full incentive within 60 days of the receipt of an approved incentive claim form after the system is interconnected. Large non-residential applicants, however, will receive their incentive in five annual installments, with the first installment coming within 60 days of the receipt of an approved incentive claim form. The remaining balance of the incentive will earn simple interest at an annual rate of 6%.

Large non-residential systems are also required to produce 85% of the expected output based on estimates from PVWatts. If the system produces less than expected, the annual payments will be reduced proportional to the under-performance of the system.

Background:
The  pilot phase of this program ended in March 2012. The Public Service Commission of Utah approved a major expansion of this program on October 1, 2012.