Rebates

Note: S.B. 295 was signed in March 2023, and changes related to net metering were approved by the Public Service Commission in late September 2023 via Order No. 7 in Docket No. 23-021-R.

In April 2001, Arkansas enacted legislation (H.B. 2325) directing the Arkansas Public Service Commission (PSC) to establish net-metering rules for certain renewable-energy systems.* The PSC approved final rules for net metering in July 2002. Net metering rules and related state statutes have been amended several times afterward, including through H.B. 2334 (April 2007; expanding net metering availability), H.B. 1004 (March 2015; revised rule provisions related

Austin Energy offers its residential, commercial, and municipal customers either an up-front rebate or a low-interest loan for the purchase and installation of solar hot water heaters. Because the program is in part designed to help Austin Energy reduce peak electricity demand, only systems that preheat water for a permanently installed electric hot water heater are eligible to receive the incentive. Rebate levels vary by customer class.

Rebates

• Residential (new construction): $1,500
• Residential (existing homes): $2,000 or low interest loan (see below)
• Commercial: Custom, determined on a case-by-case basis

Loans option details (existing homes)

• Home improvement loans: 0% interest rate

Hawaii Energy, a third-party administered public benefits fund, provides incentives for energy efficiency and conservation to customers of the Hawaiian Electric Company (HECO) and its subsidiaries, Maui Electric Company (MECO) and Hawaii Electric Light Company (HELCO). This incentive is available for installations on the islands of Oahu, Hawaii, Maui, Lanai and Molokai.

The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power's (LADWP) Solar Incentive Program began in 2000, with a funding level of $150 million. The California Solar Initiative, created in 2007 upon the enactment of SB 1, established new guidelines for municipal utilities to follow, and established new funding levels. The LADWP Board of Commissioners approved the Solar Incentive Program Guideline Revisions on September 4, 2007, to comply with SB1. The revised program was suspended in early 2011, but was revised and relaunched on September 1, 2011.

The Solar Incentive Program has 10 phases with declining incentive levels as certain installed

Note: Iowa S.F. 583, enacted on March 12, 2020, makes substantial changes to net metering rules, which will go into effect by July 1, 2027 or when statewide distributed generation penetration reaches 5%, whichever is earlier; at that point value of solar methodologies will be developed. Utilities are allowed to file "inflow-outflow" tariffs in place of net metering before that date, but the compensation rate for outflow credits is equal to the volumetric retail rate until the value of solar is established. 

In May 2017, the Iowa Utilities Board approved new net metering pilot programs for MidAmerican Energy and

According to § 20 ILCS 687/6-4, the statute this trust is under will be repealed on December 31, 2021. 

Illinois's 1997 electric-industry restructuring legislation created separate public benefits funds that support renewable energy and residential energy efficiency. The Renewable Energy Resources Trust Fund (RERTF) supports renewables through grants, loans and other incentives administered by the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO). The funding mechanism was established for 10 years in January 1998. In August 2007, funding was extended through December 12, 2015.

Renewable-energy projects eligible for RERTF support include wind energy, solar-thermal energy, photovoltaics, dedicated crops

All active solar space-heating and water-heating systems that are sold, offered for sale, or installed on residential and commercial buildings in Minnesota must meet Solar Rating and Certification Corporation (SRCC) standards. Specifically, the rule references SRCC's "Operating Guidelines" pertaining to collector certification and system certification: OG-100 and OG-300, respectively. Local building officials may issue permits for the installation of solar water-heating systems and solar space-heating systems after these systems have been certified by the SRCC. 

The administrative rules specifically state that that the law does not apply to systems designed to produce electric power.

In 1996, Ashland adopted a net metering program that includes simple interconnection guidelines. Generation and consumption are netted monthly and any excess generation is rolled over to the next month as a kWh credit. Any net excess generation remaining after the March 31 billing cycle every year is paid out at the wholesale rate.  

Rhode Island Renewable Energy Fund

Rhode Island's Public Utilities Restructuring Act of 1996 created the nation's first public benefits fund for renewable energy and demand-side management (DSM). The Rhode Island Renewable Energy Fund's renewable-energy component is administered by the Rhode Island Commerce Corporation (Commerce RI) formerly known as the Economic Development Corporation (RIEDC), and the fund's DSM programs are administered by the state's electric and gas distribution companies, subject to review by the Rhode Island Public Utilities Commission (RIPUC).

Funding and Budget

CommerceRI’s Renewable Energy Fund is supported by a surcharge on electric and gas customers' bills. Initially, the surcharge

Montana established the Universal System Benefits Program (USBP) in 1997 as part of its restructuring legislation. The USBP supports cost-effective energy conservation, low-income customer weatherization, renewable-energy projects and applications, research and development programs related to energy conservation and renewables, market transformation designed to encourage competitive markets for public purpose programs, and low-income energy assistance.

Beginning January 1, 1999, all electric utilities -- including electric cooperatives -- were required to contribute revenue generated from a surcharge on customers' electricity use. In 1997, the surcharge was set through electricity restructuring legislation and was based on 2.4% of electric utilities' 1995 revenues. This