Comments on: Florida State Solar Power Rebates, Tax Credits, and Incentives

By: J

Thu, 05 Aug 2010 14:37:10 +0000

For those wondering about a solar water heater vrs a on-demand water heater (tankless is a misnomer here), there’s no reason you can’t pair the two. Have a solar water heater tank feed into the on-demand system, and it will reduce the cost of the on-demand system, because it will not have to work as hard to heat already warmed water.

This is why I prefer to use on-demand instead of tankless for naming such systems; tankless makes you think you can’t have a tank feeding it!

By: Greg Parker

Mon, 26 Jul 2010 20:12:10 +0000

Hi i do not know why solar cost so much the material cost about $4 bucks a watt they want $9 bucks a watt installed. 4x 5000 watts = 20.000 9×5000watts= 45.000 thats 25.000 to install sounds like too much to me

By: Colin B Mckinney

Sun, 18 Jul 2010 02:12:00 +0000

Colin. If you scroll all the way to the top you will see my post after I put in Thermal water heater. Prices have dropped A LOT since then. I know I have paid for the water heater by now. I just put in 3.22 Kw voltaic, the website I put together (http://sites.google.com/site/solarmation/) was to share anything I could to help others do the same.

Installed prices seem to be around $8 per watt; I performed the installation myself – except for the Master electrician – for $3.9 per watt. Still will take some time to recoup, but that is not why I put in solar (or the thermal water heater 3 years ago for that matter). Almost 100% of the people that ask about my solar install ask how long the payback is. I ask them how many years before the income from their flat screen TV, in-ground swimming pool, or boat pays for it!

The permit was probably the hardest – as there was not a lot of information on what was needed, and some confusion that the FSEC needed to approve my design. I put all the documents I eventually turned in on my site. Permit is important – as utility will not put a meter in without it.

Frankly, I did this myself because I could not afford to do it otherwise. If cost is the only thing holding you up, look into doing it yourself – you then become the contractor, and you sub-contract out any parts you are not comfortable with. Master electrician is a requirement, but a roofer may be needed as well.

Remember – components are tax free, tax refund is 30% of total cost, power generated EVERY month will add up. And, we do not know if REC, feed-in-tariffs, or state funding may come in the future. If you are on this site – you want to do it – it WILL pay for itself eventually anyway, and when you drive around in your Leaf, Volt, or other EV and you are asked how much it cost to run – say “nothing, I have a filling station on my roof!”

By: P

Fri, 09 Jul 2010 21:57:10 +0000

To those of you waiting on your FL rebate, I do hope you get it. But at the same time, you should have been more careful in your decision making. I too “almost” took the plunge and got an expensive solar pv package. BUT, I read the fine print. The state was being upfront in that the rebate was NOT guaranteed. They never promised the rebate or guaranteed it. They’ve never promised or guaranteed refunding. It was on their website for all to see. I did my research. By last September, it was already evident that the program was very popular and running out of money. Personally, I think the pv rebate was a bit “too” generous. I could easily tell back then, I would be gambling on the rebate. I based my decision making and pay back period on no rebate getting fulfilled and just 30% off the total amount. I wonder how many people that are still on the hook for the rebate never bothered to check with the state and simply took their solar “salesman” for their word. Every single solar company I called regarding the rebate was not completely honest regarding the rebate. Only when I pressed hard, did they admit that the rebate was not guaranteed. But none offered that info upfront. Some even did terrible tax math. The federal tax credit is on the amount AFTER you discount the florida rebate. ALL OF THEM, every single one, was confident in their belief that more funding would be supplied and to not worry. Who knows, maybe more funding will be supplied. But will enough funding be supplied to take care of every single last person on the list?

For those of you that truly understood and knew the rebate was not guaranteed and went ahead anyways, you knowingly gambled. Only time will tell if you win or loose. You didn’t do anything. The state has NOT done anything wrong either.

For those of you that did NOT know, you need to learn that unfortunately you can never trust salespeople and you need to research stuff yourself.

I wish the best to all of you, and good luck!

By: Burkhard Klein

Fri, 09 Jul 2010 16:56:24 +0000

In regards to the Florida Solar Rebate I would like to express my disappointment in the lack of funding at this time. These Rebates were heavily advertised in the state by the state and companies that install renewable energy systems. In the name of job growth, future investment in renewable energy sources, independence from oil, be it from the President, or Governor, this program was intended to do good and to entice to the inhabitants of the Sunshine State to use their sunshine for a better environment.

Lack of attention and quick action of the legislature will halt any movement in the preservation, kill the jobs that were created and unfairly disadvantage individuals and entities that were invited to invest in renewable energy and are waiting now for rebate funding since the end of 2009. Realizing that the State and Country are fighting a debt crisis (as well as all its citizens), a promise is a promise and it is unfair to reap the benefit by starting something and then let it die senselessly.

My family has invested $45,000 in renewable energy in 2009 and beginning of 2010, has applied for rebates, and been placed on a long waiting list that is lacking any evidence that funding will be made available in the future. Maybe it’s time to move out of Florida and find a place where people do what they say. I will be contacting the legislature to get feedback on this issue and guarantee that many Floridians that are trying to do the right thing are with me on this. LETS ORGANIZE AND CONTACT YOUR REPRESENTATIVES IN THIS MATTER

By: Jonathan Lee

Wed, 07 Jul 2010 21:34:11 +0000

Glen and the rest, I am in the same boat. I have a $20,000 rebate that I am waiting on. We need to write to our legislators to get them to act. Floridians need to be able to trust their government, especially when we are making large investments to protect our future. If you go to http://www.dotherightthingflorida.com there is a group that has broken down the state rebate by Senator/Representative. They have mailed out letters to each congressman on our behalf. check it out and sign up, there’s strength in numbers! If Floridians lose trust in our government with this rebate program, and all the solar contractors leave the state or find other jobs, there is little hope for solar for Florida in the near future. We need to act now and call for a special session (there is talk of this already) or some other form of action to fund the backlog and move the program forward.

By: Glen Parker

Tue, 22 Jun 2010 00:14:09 +0000

I’m another Floridian who installed a system in May 2009 on the belief that a rebate was available. I’m on the hook for almost $40,000. My rebate is Approved, but with no funds in 2010, and nothing apparent on the horizon, I’m not sure what to do. Write your representatives and let them know of the lurch you are in.

For now, DO NOT buy solar in Florida expecting a rebate. If anyone tells you about a Florida rebate in 2010, they are wrong.

By: Ken

Mon, 21 Jun 2010 16:46:05 +0000

FLORIDA IS NOT PAYING THE $500 REBATE. I put may solar Hot Water system in last November. I just call the Governers office and they said the program ran out of money and it is not a “garrunteed rebate”. I had to pry it of of him that I wasn’t going to get paid. I will never trust the State again

By: Larry

Fri, 11 Jun 2010 02:28:57 +0000

I put solar panels on my roof last year only to find that when I filed with the state the rebate fund was empty and has not been funded in the 2010 budget. If the state does not put funds back into the program I am on the hook for over $34k instead of the $6k I was told to plan on. I understand I have company, about 7,000 other Floridians who went green, believed what they were told, filed within the stated time frame for the rebate and now are in the same boat I am. Now what?

By: Kathy Hersh

Thu, 10 Jun 2010 02:17:43 +0000

I heard recently of a program in California which rents the solar panels and maintains them and the customers pay the rent as part of their monthly bill. Even with the rent added, the payments are lower because of the energy savings. How can we make this happen in Florida?