BEF - Solar Starters

July 21, 2006

Summary

In an effort to jump-start solar development in the region, the Bonneville Environmental Foundation (BEF) and the Northwest Solar Cooperative have made a five-year purchase commitment for Green Tags from new small solar installations throughout Oregon and Washington. Systems of up to 5 kW will be approved automatically, while larger sized systems can be negotiated. The partnership calls for the Cooperative to sign agreements with the PV system owners and pay 10 cents per kilowatt hour for the environmental attributes - or Green Tags - produced by the solar systems. BEF will in turn purchase the Green Tags from the Cooperative for resale to their wholesale customers and to consumers on their website www.GreenTagsUSA.org. As of July 2005, BEF has purchased Green Tags from more than 60 PV owners through the cooperative. The Northwest Solar Cooperative is managed by Cascade Solar Consulting.

Program Overview

Implementing Sector: Non-Profit
Category: Financial Incentive
State: Washington
Incentive Type: Performance-Based Incentive
Web Site: http://www.cascadesolar.com/greentags.htm
Administrator: Northwest Solar Cooperative
Start Date:
Eligible Renewable/Other Technologies:
  • Solar Photovoltaics
Incentive Amount: 10¢/kWh for the environmental attributes (green tags) of the power produced by the PV systems
Terms: 5-year contract
Eligible System Size: System Size: up to 5 kW aprroved automatically; larger systems acceptable with additional negotiations

Contact

Name: Doug Boleyn
Organization: Northwest Renewable Energy Cooperative
Address: 17610 Springhill Place
Gladstone OR 97027
Phone: (503) 655-1617
Email: doug@cascadesolar.com

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.