Solar Bill for PA.

Dave Yates (GrandPAH)_1

Eugene DePasquale, our local state rep. I've met with Eugene several times over the past few years while he crafted this bill. As with any bill, lots of compromise was required to get this passed. Because Eugene crafted the bill, Rendell came to York for the official signing ceremony.

As President of York Central Farmers Market (a 45,000 square foot center-city timber-framed building constructed in 1886-87 by shiprights out of Baltimore), I have long wanted to make this an urban example of solar PV by adding a 20- to 40-kW array. Eugene passed that along to local news channel 8 & they called just a few hours before the signing ceremony to ask if I could meet them - on the roof at YCM - in 15 minutes! Did an interview on the roof and that became the focal-point of the broadcast covering Rendell's signing ceremony coverage. Several other broadcast stations have called asking that I alert them when we begin setting panels.

The largest single challenge we face is the net-metering agreement Met-Ed is currently offering. For PV systems, they will establish a "bank" account where any excess kWh's will be held. At year's end if there are any extra kWh's in the account, Met-Ed takes them and zero's out your account. No fees are to be paid to the PV owners. The up side is that you get full $$$ credit for the kWh's produced in offsetting your usage. Two meters are to be installed with one measuring use while the other measures any excess PV production pumped into the grid.

This becomes a challenge for YCM because every vendor has a separate meter and we (as the landlord) have three meters covering different areas. The only way we'll be able to utilize a large PV array, will be if we can get Met-Ed to allow all PV power generated to be used for offsetting the multi-metered accounts.

While the bill is less than perfect, it's a giant step in the right direction.

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hot_rod

any details for residential SDHW?

Included among the new $650 million fund is $500 million that provides:

$165 million for loans and grants to spur the development of alternative and renewable energy projects (except solar) among businesses and local governments;
$100 million to provide loans, grants and rebates that cover up to 35 percent of the costs residential consumers and small businesses incur for installing for solar energy technology;
$80 million in grants and loans for economic development projects in the solar sector;
$40 million to the Ben Franklin Technology Development Authority to support early stage activities, such as incubator support services, translational and early stage research in startup businesses that develop and implement energy efficiency technologies;
$25 million for wind energy and geothermal projects;
$25 million for green buildings. Homeowners and small businesses will benefit from grants and loans to build energy efficient structures or renovate an existing building to improve its energy efficiency;
$40 million ($10 million annually for four years) to support LIHEAP so the commonwealth can help low-income customers manage higher energy prices, severe weather conditions, or disasters; and
$25 million for pollution control technology to help energy generators meet state and federal standards.
The law, originally Special Session House Bill 1, will also establish a $150 million consumer energy program for individuals and small businesses that will support projects that conserve energy and use it more efficiently—something that is increasingly important as the costs for electricity, fuels and natural gas continue to increase.

The $150 million will be allocated over eight years, with $20 million annually through 2014-15 and another $10 million in 2015-16 that will include:

$92.5 million so homeowners and small business owners can cover 25 percent of the cost of purchasing and installing energy conservation tools and weatherize their buildings;
$50 million in tax credits of up to $1 million a year per project for developing and building alternative energy projects, which will help Pennsylvania companies invest and grow here; and.
$5 million to support an Energy Efficiency Loan Fund through the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency.

For more information on the 2008-09 budget, visit www.pa.gov.

Bob_41

Of course the details are always hidden

The new bill aims to help consumers lower electricity costs, here's how: The Energy Independence Fund will be created via a bond initiative that (principal/interest)will be paid by an electric power public benefits charge.

Another great program to help us "save" money by requiring us to "pay" more. It's another tax scheme under the guise of Energy Independence.

More of Obamanomics to come, especially if he chooses Rendell as a VP!

Bob