| State: |
Texas |
| Incentive Type: |
Utility Rebate Program |
| Eligible Renewable/Other Technologies: |
Photovoltaics |
| Applicable Sectors: |
Residential, Must be Austin Energy Customer |
| Amount: | $2.50 per watt-AC
|
| Maximum Incentive: | $15,000 per home installation and $50,000 per site
|
| Eligible System Size: | 1 kW to 20 kW AC |
| Equipment Requirements: | Must use pre-approved modules and inverters (those listed by the California Energy Commission). PV systems must carry a 5-year warranty from the installer in addition to a 20 year module manufacturer warranty and a 10 year manufacturer warranty on inverters in residential applications without battery back-up. |
| Installation Requirements: | Must be grid-connected. Must use a solar installer from the Austin Energy Registered Installer List. Solar installers must be certified by the North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners (NABCEP) within two years of becoming a Registered Installer. Homes must meet pre-determined energy efficiency requirements in order to qualify for a rebate. |
| Program Budget: | $4.0 million (FY 2010) |
| Ownership of Renewable Energy Credits: | Austin Energy |
| Expiration Date: | Program year runs from October - September |
| Web Site: |
http://www.austinenergy.com/Energy%20Efficiency/Programs/Rebates/...
|
Note: Rebates for non-residential facilities that were formerly offered under this program are scheduled to be transitioned to a separate performance based incentive structure by January 2010. Click here for Austin Energy's statement on the revised program rules or visit the program website for this and other important information.
Austin Energy's Solar Rebate Program offers a $2.50 per watt (reduced from $3.75 per watt in September 2009) incentive to eligible residential who install photovoltaic (PV) systems on their homes. Rebates are limited to $15,000 per home installation and lifetime maximum of $50,000 per site, recognizing that some residential customers build out a home solar system in stages.
Rebates will only be paid for approved systems installed by approved solar contractors according to the established technical requirements. All systems must conform to the utility's equipment and installation standards in order to qualify for a rebate. These standards include the use of pre-approved equipment, equipment warranty requirements, and the use of a program approved solar installer. Effective for the program year beginning November 1, 2009, participants must meet a detailed set of home energy efficiency requirements in order to qualify for a solar rebate. The energy efficiency requirements include standards for both new and existing homes.
Background
The City Council initially approved $933,000 in funding for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2004. For 2005, $2,000,000 was budgeted for solar PV rebates and $500,000 for PV installations on municipal buildings. For 2006, the solar PV rebate budget was raised to $3,000,000, with $450,000 being allocated for PV installations on municipal buildings. The FY 08-09 budget (through September 30, 2009) was set at $4.5 million and a total of $4 million is budgeted for solar rebates during FY 2010 beginning in October 2009. The program is reassessed on an annual basis each fiscal year in October, but does not have a specified final expiration date.
In 2003, the Austin City Council set a 20% by 2020 renewable portfolio standard (RPS) for Austin Energy with a solar goal of 100 megawatts capacity in the community by 2020. Austin Energy will install demonstration solar projects at schools, libraries and community centers, and is partnering with other city departments to develop the first ‘affordable’ net-zero energy subdivision in the country, a 100-home subdivision in the city’s southeast district.
