Expanding Utah’s Solar Market: Utah Clean Energy leads efforts to establish new 60 MW, 5-year utility solar rebate program
Utah Clean Energy has been working diligently to make solar energy more accessible and affordable for Utahns by spearheading an initiative to continue and expand Rocky Mountain Power’s Pilot Solar Rebate Program.
After nearly 8 years of strategic collaboration, 2 regulatory dockets, 171 stakeholder comments issued to the Commission, hundreds of hours of meetings and workgroup sessions, and a 6” regulatory archive binder, we have succeeded in establishing a solar incentive program that will open up Utah’s untapped solar market! And, we couldn’t have done it without the involvement, support, and commitment of so many interested stakeholders!
- Solar PV 101: What you need to know about solar energy for your home
- Details about the New Solar Incentive Program
- Incentive Levels and Capacity by Sector
- How will the Incentive be calculated?
- Frequently Asked Questions (provided by Rocky Mountain Power)
- Utah Clean Energy's Press Release
Rocky Mountain Power will begin accepting reservation applications for the expanded solar incentive program on January 15, 2013 at 9 a.m. The application window will remain open until January 28, 2013 at 5 p.m. Make sure you and your contractor are familiar with the application process and program details.
Oh, by the way...it's cost-effective!
Through extensive analysis, it has been shown that an expanded solar program is a cost-effective resource for the utility and ratepayers that provides a net benefit-to-cost ratio of nearly 1.63 to 1 (in other words, for every $1 invested in the program, rate-payers can receive $1.63 in net benefits)! An expanded solar rebate program is a smart way to leverage private investments in clean, renewable solar power for the benefit of Utah communities, our environment, and our economy.
It's been a long road...check out the highlights on the path to the solar incentive program through the years:
2003-2007: Utah Clean Energy and Salt Lake City coordinate with regulators and Rocky Mountain Power to design and introduce a pilot solar incentive program in Utah.
2007: PSC approves a 5-year pilot solar rebate program for Rocky Mountain Power (rebate of $2/watt, for 107 kW per year). While a good first step, the tiny program only supported about 30 solar systems per year statewide.
2007-2009: Program implemented; annual program analysis and review by involved stakeholders.
2010: Comments in response to the Program’s three-year review demonstrates broad support for an expanded program; program analysis shows that small changes to the program can yield a cost-effective program that passes Utility Cost Tests.
March 2011: The Public Service Commission requested public comments on whether or not to continue and expand Rocky Mountain Power's Pilot Solar Rebate Program.
May – June 2011: Utah Clean Energy worked to educate Utahns about the fate of Rocky Mountain Power's solar rebate program. Over 75 groups and individuals voiced their support for the continuation and expansion of Rocky Mountain Power's Solar Incentive Program - an unprecedented amount of feedback (they usually hear from 5-10 stakeholders on average)!
- Utah Clean Energy’s comments
- Vote Solar comments
- Comments from Enfinity America Corp, Data Center Pulse, Big-D, Enerbank, et al.
- Walmart Comments
- Comments from Park City, Alta, Moab, Alta Ski Area, Park City Mountain Resort, et al.
- Salt Lake County Council Resolution
- Comments from Utah Office of Energy Development
July 2011: PSC opens an investigative docket and orders the formation of a Solar Workgroup to explore continuation and expansion of pilot program.
October – November 2011: The Division of Public Utilities leads the Solar Workgroup to investigate extending and expanding Rocky Mountain Power’s Solar Rebate Program. Division report calls for an additional effort be launched to establish an incentive program that could continue through at least 2016 "based on the cost effectiveness of the current program."
November 2011: Solar Workgroup participants submit comments in response to the Division of Public Utilities' Report; participants support additional time for the Solar Workgroup to design an extended and expanded program.
December 2011: PSC issues an order to continue additional year of pilot program ($1.55/watt for 214 kW of solar PV) to prevent pilot program from expiring and allow more time for Solar Workgroup efforts to continue.
January 2012 – August 2012: Solar Workgroup efforts continue to investigate extending and expanding Rocky Mountain Power’s Solar Rebate Program.
August 2012: Rocky Mountain Power files an application with the PSC for approval of Solar Incentive Program. Solar Workgroup parties, including the Division of Public Utilities, Office of Consumer Services, Utah Clean Energy, and numerous others, file comments in support of the expanded program.
September 2012: The PSC holds a hearing on the Solar Incentive Program Application; stakeholders testify in support of the proposed program and recommend PSC approval.
October 2012: The PSC Approves Rocky Mountain Power’s Solar Incentive Program!!
January 2013: Rocky Mountain Power will begin accepting applications for the expanded solar incentive program!! Click here for complete details about the Program.
For more detailed information on the Solar Incentive Efforts, please visit the docket pages on the PSC website:
