Plug into the Sun

(Page 3 of 5)

August/September 2003
By Rusty Haynes and Lindsey Hodel 
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LOANS

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Twenty states offer loan programs to support renewables. For residential purposes, Oregon, New York and Iowa essentially grant unlimited funding. Oregon provides unlimited loans to all sectors for most renewable energy projects, whereas New York and Iowa offer up to $500,000 and $250,000, respectively, for various projects, including PV, wind and solar hot water heaters. Ohio ($25,000 maximum), Virginia ($25,000 maximum), Idaho ($10,000 maximum), Washington ($10,000 maximum), and Connecticut ($10,000 maximum) also provide loans to residents for PV, wind and solar hot water systems. Montana gives loans ($10,000 maximum) to residents and businesses for PV and wind systems.

NET METERING

A fourth type of financial incentive many states have adopted is net metering, an arrangement that permits owners of renewable energy systems to "sell" any excess power back to the electrical grid to offset consumption. Net-metering policies, which vary widely from state to state, are considered critical to the development and adoption of renewable energy technologies. In the past, most solar electric systems were not connected to the grid, but relied on batteries to store energy for use at night or during cloudy days. By using the utility grid as a giant battery to store excess energy, net metering alleviates the need for expensive batteries and directly affects the economics and payback period for the investment. Thirty-eight states and the District of Columbia have implemented statewide net metering policies, whereas some utilities in four states (Colorado, Florida, Illinois and Kentucky) have net-metering arrangements.

In Chicago, Knorr has established net metering through her local utility company. In the summer when her electricity use is lower, she pays only half of what she did before installing her PV system. In the winter, her electricity bill has decreased 10 percent to 20 percent.

Thirteen states are still without net-metering policies: Alabama, Alaska, Kansas, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, North Carolina, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee and West Virginia.

OTHER PROGRAMS

Other state-level policies — especially public benefit funds and renewable portfolio standards can play a key role in developing the market for renewable energy. Typically created through a state's electric utility restructuring process, a public benefit fund is a state-level program to assure continued support for renewable energy resources, energy efficiency initiatives and low-income support programs. These funds are commonly supported through a small surcharge on all electricity bills.

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