Alabama State Solar Power Rebates, Tax Credits, and Incentives

henry

Alabama state legislators have been investing our money in “clean coal” and nuke. clean coal is misleading: “There is no such thing as ‘clean coal’ and there never will be. It’s an oxymoron.” i am proud to be an american but imbarased to be from alabama where the lobbyers own the the goverment from the governor down. may the ones who sells us out burn in hell.
imbarased

Michael Alpers

The local power producers Including TVA and Huntsville Utilities in northern Alabama do not care or have a clue. If you read the TVA write-up completely they will not allow reverse power generation to offset the cost of making green power. It is only a marketing scam. If they were truly serious they would allow reverse generation at the rates charged to the consumer as most other states do. There is nothing green about the state of Alabama and from what I can see never will be. They won’t even recycle for that matter.

Jon Ingram

“imbarased” is embarrassing me! Believe it or not, there are plenty of literate people who live in Alabama! Not all of us are rednecks either. My state has been stereotyped since the ’60s. Alabama is not as nearly backwards and unrefined as national public perception would have one believe.

Anyway, our Governor IS doing something in the area of alternative fuels. Is it enough? NO. But, at least it is a start. To see one important step he is undertaking check out this press release from his office:
http://governorpress.alabama.gov/pr/pr-2008-09-26-01-clean_corridor.asp

henry

jon, you got me. (embarrassed), public schooled. need i say more. we are not on the same page with alternative fuels. do you work with the gov.?

Jean

A power plant near Birmingham holds the record for airborne mercury production from coal.

michael

I have lived in Alabama for most of my life and I am ashamed at the way our state is lacking on renewable power that will help not only our state but the country as a whole by not providing more in the way of grants and insentives to help anyone go green if they want. Alabama Power should not hold a monopoly on Power nor should any other.

Sumpter

Im all about green power. The real tradgedy is a southern company also owns georgia power allows residents to sell power back to ga power where as alabama residents cannot! What should be done is all deposit money collected should be made to be used in construction of pv and wind generation plants. This money is never taxed and is hidden to public disclosure. The person who pays this money almost never sees it again. Politicians who protect monopolys such as this god will spew from gods mouth, no matter how godly they veiw thierself. What pathetic blight.

M. H. Henry

I think we should focus on how to save money as Alabama residents and write our congressman with any complaints. It will not do any good here. We should be interested in sharing information here that will lead us to a decision to buy green power or not based on the current benefits and or tax cuts. Leave the emotions out of it and stick to the facts. This will help us and others be more productive in our decision making.

M. H. Henry

Question #1 (calculation of savings)
I am interestd in this calculation.
Green Power Switch Producer credit (3,500 Kwh/year * $0.15 * 10 years)
Is the 3,500 an average or a maximum?

Question # 2 (Best installers)
Who if anyone here has had a contractor install a system? What are the best contractors in Alabama at the best cost.

Nicole

If I am not mistaken, the TVA program requires the homeowner to carry huge amounts of very expensive insurance to cover TVA’s equipment — insurance costs which overwhelm the savings of any benefits they offer.

Paris Vega

I live in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Our city offers Recycling, emissions testing, and hazardous waste collection. Here is a good article about what Tuscaloosa and other Alabama cities are doing: http://www.nbc13.com/vtm/news/local/article/tuscaloosa_experiments_with_going_green_at_waste_water_treatment_plant/59631/

Chris

One would think that with energy prices as high as they are that each state could come up with a nice plan to help the individual who wants to go solar. Doesn’t surprise me that Alabama which is also one of the lowest ranked states in everything else would not have a plan to help people.

JOHN

I am very disappointed in my state government and their lack of interest in promoting solar energy. To add insult to injury our local cooperative, Baldwin EMC actually charges you a higher rate for electricity if you have any alternative energy source supplementing energy to your home or business.

Monty

Alabam is a great place to implement a PV system, all you have to do is pay for it yourself. Obama’s plans and incentives work only for commercial investments geared towards “savings” for the tax payers. What a joke.

There is a huge political mokery running this state when a man can get payed to burn wood and gets laghed at when he wants to sell the extra juice generated fron a PV system.

Here’s an idea: Make it a “federal” mandate that anyone who generates more power than they need, gets to run the meeter in reverse. Set a standard for the quality of power produced, the same thing you want running your home theater or computer, give me a little insentive, keep it simple and call it a day.

Sorry, that would make too much sence. Obama is just as big a stand up “green” comedian as the gold lined pocket pupets in Montgomery.

Judy

I am not ashamed of living in Alabama, nor do I particularly care about the stereotypes commonly associated with it. I do think that the Alabama should assist, and in some cases, provide “green living” for its residents. It would save the government a fortune in low income supplement. Also, considering the years of toxic abuse heaped upon our land, Alabama could really use the opportunity to make amends to the earth.

Mark McMullen

I see that most of you agree to a certain degree that the federal and overall individual states are not as GUNG HO to give big incentives. I agree with Monty’s idea, Let the meter go in reverse if you make more than you use, and or at least pay you the same rate that they charge you per kwH. When you install the PV system it comes with a secondary meter that shows you how many kwH you have produced produced. Although there is no incentives in Al. to speak of, if you install a system and use the power from the PV as the primary and the grid as the secondary than you bypass the issue of being compensated by the local power company. The systems out there are expensive, but if you are building a home get the system finance all in one with the home loan and you will hit the ground running with savings. If I stand corrected please comment. The more we know the better. Power to the People.

Mark McMullen

I will also share this. I have worked on government facilities as an inspector and as a construction superintendent and I have seen the govt. waste alot of our tax money. And to this day I cannot figure out why they will not utilize the power supply systems available on there own structures. I think we should also pressure them “contact your local Rep.” to do the right thing and set the example. They all preach how we ” the rodents in the maze” need to do the right thing for our country. Its time we make them do the right thing for “US” since we do pay for their luxuries. Power to the People.

Stephanie

How do we get this changed in Alabama? Alabama needs incentives for solar panels!

JACKSON CANUP

start with you local goverment , and work your we up the line ,and vote. get in the local town halls make noise it will take time but look at the savings for all, look at the new jobs, sheffield alabama I am coming your way and we are going to get green! alabama goverment is going to help or alabama goverment is going to change! alabama could be looked at as one of the best states in America to retire.

Larry

Priorities
#1 Learn to spell or use spell check.
#2 Save the environment

Tor a.k.a. "Solar Fred"

Honestly, Larry, Our priorities are 1) Save the environment, 2) drink celebratory beer, 3) spell check, 4) more beer. 5) See #1.

In any case, the only spelling mistake that our system caught that wasn’t intentional (“gotta” is just how write) was “bigwhigs.” Should have been bigwigs. Gotta change that. But thanks for pointing that out. If bad copy editing is all that prevents you from going solar, well….real bummer for the planet and I guess bad on us. We’ve probably got a zillion more typos on our 3 years worth of our great solar info here, so please forgive us in advance and go solar anyway.

red

First dont think tha Alabamas government is the only one getting their pockets stuffed, the only difference is who is doing the stuffing. Here in Alabama it is mostly Alabama power, where in other states it is the green energy companies. Second I am not at all embarrassed to be from Alabama and if you are you have the right to leave.
I have sent many letters to the state reps on this very subject. NOT e-mails. Letters. They get a huge amount of e-mails every day. If you want to get your point across to them send letters. Send ten a day, what ever it takes. Or you can also run for office yourself. Another effective move might also be to make sure the state reps see this comment board. Print it out and send them one hundred copies.

MAD BRAD

Just joined in on trying to get something done by contacting our representatives and got ignored with no returned calls and lies that I would get returned emails. The one office that would respond started in on how education needs priority over solar and our education is in quote dire straits. They may be in bad shape but they were not so bad that two years ago that our state officials gave themselves a 60% raise. Also we hear how cheap our taxes are here. That may be the case for some but not for me. That figured a way to double my business license this year and my land tax continues to go up.

Tor a.k.a. "Solar Fred"

Good for you, Brad! Sounds like the next step is to get more press for the cause. See if you can’t the attention of one of the large Alabama news papers or, even better, a television station. But don’t be mad brad to these reporters. Be polite, make your case that solar is important too and that it’s important to the health of those kids in terms of pollution and asthma related health costs. Point out that utilities all over the states are getting on board, including Florida and Georgia. Does Alabama want to be left behind on the bottom floor of clean air solar energy? With all of its sun? That’s what I would say to the reporters. Hopefully, they’ll then go get some kind of comment from the lawmakers about why they want to leave Alabama behind the times. Coal is yesterday. Solar is ready now and will be a huge part of our energy future.

Keep it up, Brad! But remember to keep your cool. Otherwise, they’ll just listen to your anger and emotions and not what you’re truly trying to say.

ME

Well Considering where I live in South Alabama does not even have a recycling program how can you expect them to have anything for solar.

Doug

It’s not up to the utilities.It’s up to the consumer to prove the demand is there to convert to alternate power sources. Solar wind and geothermal often appear to be blocked. If the public would move forward with out the help of the state and learn to go off grid the TVA and the state will have no choice but to get with the times. The loss of tax revenue usually gets the states panties in a bunch pretty quick.

Leslie Muzingo

While I will agree that Alabama certainly should be more environmentally friendly and offer more incentives, Alabama can, on the other hand, be considered PROGRESSIVE for offering a tax incentive for burning wood before the Feds did as they are now – yes folks, you can now get a 30% tax credit for installing a fireplace insert. It could be that your fireplace was none functional or you didn’t even burn wood before, but thanks to the fed govt, now you burn wood. Why? Because wood, as Alabama knew long ago, (and as they know in Norway and Sweden) is a renewable resource, and so long as the fireplaces and stoves are energy efficient, this is actually a good way to heat our homes. As for the individual who claims to live in South Alabama but says there is no recycling center here, I don’t know where THAT person lives, but I live in Mobile, and there is a very large center not a quarter mile from my home. That center is actively used by the community and has several full time employees.

It is easy to criticize. We in Alabama would appreciate it if you’d just encourage us next time.

Tor a.k.a. "Solar Fred"

Leslie, thanks for your perspective. The wood burning program you’re taking about is explained briefly here.

Nevertheless, this is SolarPowerRocks, not WoodPowerRocks, and we hope that Alabama natives will do all they can to encourage their legislators to pass programs that will use all that gorgeous Alabama sun for solar electric and solar hot water systems. I’m glad to hear that you’re recycling down there in Mobile. I have friends down there in smaller towns that don’t. It would be great if all could be more environmentally conscious as Mobile. Thanks for your thoughts.

TLogan

I sat in an Economic Development Conference in Montgomery in early 2009 and listened in unbelief as one of the heads of Alabama Power said that the State of Alabama was not a good place to try to generate either solar or wind energy. The people at our table all groaned as he showed a “map” of Alabama with sun and wind ratings that in his words were too low for any benefit.

Then he displayed a pie chart showing how by 2025 more than 20% of Alabama Power’s KWH would come from nuclear ? energy!!

And he represents the guys who are running our power industry in Alabama.

Tor a.k.a. "Solar Fred"

Why spend billions on a nuclear plant in Alabama when you have a natural nuclear plant: The Sun. And great solar technology to capture that power. It’s ready here and now and Alabamans have to elect and pressure officials to give subsidies toward solar projects, not costly, unreliable, unsafe, water intensive nuclear.