May 28, 2010
Friday, the Oregon Public Utilities Commission (OPUC) announced details of a pilot program that will allow Oregon customers of Portland General Electric, Pacific Power, and Idaho Power to get paid for generating power from their own solar systems.
Set to launch July 1, the Feed-In Tariff (FIT) Pilot Program gives eligible customers who install new solar systems the option to apply to receive a check for the power they produce at a premium rate guaranteed for 15 years. Eligible FIT participants can take a federal tax credit as an additional incentive, but they don't get a state tax credit or up-front cash rebates from the Energy Trust of Oregon.
The goal is to provide an alternative to the ongoing program providing up-front incentives plus state tax credits. Determining which program is best depends on a variety of considerations, including each individual home or business owner's finances, and the size and location of the solar system.
For an overview, see the May 28 Oregonian article "Solar program to pay Oregonians premium rates for power they generate," by Richard Read, at
http://www.oregonlive.com/business/index.ssf/2010/05/solar_program_to_pay_oregonian.html
Enrollment in the FIT pilot program is limited. For more information, please email National Solar at
info@nationalsolarusa.com.
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