Mississippi State Solar Power Rebates, Tax Credits, and Incentives
Remnants of a pier near Biloxi
2012 Update
Between the Mississippi river delta and the gulf coast, the state of Mississippi hosts some very unique places, not to mention being the birthplace of the Delta blues and a center of the civil rights movement. Even with all of its history and natural beauty, Mississippi has been slow to get on the solar energy train. Here’s what the legislature has done so far.
Mississippi’s (Lack of A) Renewables Portfolio Standard
A Renewables Portfolio Standard (“RPS”) is a law or other piece of regulation that mandates that a certain percentage of at state’s energy production comes from renewable resources by specified target dates. A strong RPS is important because it forces utility companies to promote conversion to renewable energy. That generally means free money for you in the form of solar power rebates and performance payments when you switch to solar power.
Mississippi currently has no state or local Renewables Portfolio Standards. As we’ve seen in other states, the lack of an RPS has translated to an unfortunate lack of incentives to support solar power.
Solar Performance Payments in Mississippi
Mississippi’s one significant solar power incentive comes from the Tennessee Valley Authority (“TVA”). TVA provides electricity to Municipal and cooperatively owned utilities that provide electricity for the counties of: Alcorn, Attala, Benton, Calhoun, Chickasaw, Choctaw, Clay, De Soto, Grenada, Itawamba, Kemper, Lafayette, Leake, Lee, Lowndes, Marshall, Monroe, Neshoba, Newton, Noxubee, Oktibbeha, Panola, Pontotoc, Prentiss, Quitman, Rankin, Scott, Tallahatchie, Tate, Tippah, Tishomingo, Tunica, Union, Webster, Winston and Yalobusha.
If you’re lucky enough to be TVA customers, your new solar power system is eligible for TVA’s Generation Partners Program. TVA offers a ten-year contract to purchase 100% of the energy produced by your solar power system for a premium of $0.12 on top of the retail electricity rate.
Mississippi Solar Utility Rebates, Tax Credits, and Tax Exemptions
Participants in the TVA program are also eligible to receive a $1,000 solar power rebate to help offset initial costs. Unfortunately the TVA program is the only incentive available to help you install solar power in Mississippi. With no RPS in place, politicians and utility companies have no incentive to help promote solar power. They’re happy to leave all the costs to you … until they face stiff penalties for failing to satisfy an RPS, that is. Given all of Mississippi’s sunshine, legislators have a golden opportunity to harness cheap and plentiful energy, but they need to start pushing statewide incentives to make use of all those solar resources.
Utility Prices in Mississippi
Mississippi pays an average of 10.17 cents per kilowatt-hour of electricity. That’s well below the national average of 11.43 cents/kwh, and even below the regional average of 10.30 cents/kwh. We know you like paying less now, but that’s only until the long-term costs kick in. Most electricity is currently produced by burning fossil fuels. All that earth-killing oil and coal may still be relatively easy on your wallet, but the long-term costs associated with fossil fuels are going to far outweigh those monthly bill savings. When all those long-term costs really start to kick in, monthly electricity bills are going to inevitably rise as well. When that happens, you’ll be patting yourself on the back for having already switched over to clean efficient solar energy!
Mississippi Net Metering and Interconnection
Net Metering requires your utility to monitor how much energy your solar power system produces and how much energy you actually consume, and make sure you get credit for any surplus. Mississippi is one of only six states in the nation without statewide net metering standards in place. Net metering remains completely at the discretion of the utility companies.
Likewise, Mississippi is one of fifteen states lacking statewide standards for interconnection. Utility companies have full discretion not only on whether to offer net metering, but also over what is required for you to get your solar power system connected to the grid in the first place.
5kW Example Return on Investment in Mississippi
Installing a typical 5kW solar system should start at about $25,000. Because TVA serves only about a third of Mississippi households, we based these estimates for the two-thirds of the state that has no incentives available to it. If you are a TVA customer, your payback will be considerably faster. Grab one of our free quotes and talk to an expert installer in your area to learn just how much faster. If you’re not a TVA customer, don’t worry – even without state incentives, you can still knock a big chunk off the price.
- Since the feds calculate their incentive based on actual out of pocket costs, no state incentives means a bigger federal solar tax credit. Subtract $7,500 (30% of $25,000) for a new price of $17,500.
- After the tax credit we subtract your first year’s energy savings, which we estimate to be about $635. That brings your cost after the first year to $16,865.
- With a conservative estimate for the future rise of electricity prices, you can expect your new solar power system to pay for itself in about 17 years. Even with that somewhat slower payback time frame, you can still expect to get several years of profits (yes, profits) out of your solar power system. We estimate those profits to be in $12,692 through 2036.
- In addition to those direct wallet-fattening savings, you also increased your home value by $12,692.
- In addition to all that cash (and home value), you’ve created some green for the earth as well by not using all that fossil-fuel backed electricity. In fact, the fossil-fuel energy you’re not using is the carbon-saving equivalent of planting 110 trees a year, every year your solar power system is humming.
These numbers are estimates. Your home is unique and how much power you generate and how much money you save depends on that uniqueness. The best way to find out how much cash switching to solar can save you is to get one of our free quotes, and an expert installer in your area can draw up a home-specific estimate for you. Your quote is 100% free (yes, that’s right, 100% free) and you can get as many of them as that smart shopper in you desires!
Mississippi Solar Consensus
The Mississippi legislature is really singing the blues when it comes to solar energy. The state’s leaders have hardly even mentioned the words in their sessions since 2005. With all the rebuilding in the aftermath of hurricane Katrina, the state could take the opportunity to protect the environment by promoting clean energy too. It’s about time the legislature took a stand in support of solar power.
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I wished gov barbour would sober up and catch up to the rest of the civilized world.
Being from Long Beach, MS and living the complete destruction from Katrina, I really think the state dropped the ball when it comes to solar and all other alternative energies. Solar and even wind energies could have been implemented very easily!
Could not agree more here. But most of the ppl in the senate and house are from oil/gas pockets anyway. Entergy Inc. has no incentive for anything ever. Because they are just like the greedy saudi’s. We are one of the poorest states but we have rates like california.
I agree with Pat H. Why wouldn’t Mississippi incorporate solar with all the building going on (residential and commercial)????
Let us get the Solar going in Mississippi and get out of the as always last place for Solar energy: Please write a message/Letter to Gov Barbour.
RE: Please write:
Government office:Barbour
http://www.governorbarbour.com/
FAX Or write.
P.O. Box 139 | Jackson, MS 39205 | Phone: 601.359.3150 | Fax: 601.359.3741
We are facing a energy crisis and our state is not offering opportunitys for us to utilize our natural energy (sun shine). Whats up with that??? Why not have net metering and catch up with the other 40 states who encourage energy independence?
The price of oil is going up everyday and so are electric bills. Even Lousiana has tax credits for solar. How can we get this done.
Who out there knows how to get through to Governor Barber to tell him Mississippi’s middle class need some big incentives implemented. We need the same incentives as Florida and California.
WAKE UP MISSISSIPPI — Why can’t Mississippi do like Idaho when it comes to Alternative Energy Rebates.
http://www.thenaturalabode.com/renewable_energy/Idaho_Energy_Incentives.htm
I’m thinking of moving to Idaho just for the Rebates.
What about these new solar shingles? Cost, effectiveness. They look great because they blend in with your other shingles.
Back in Feb, I contacted MS Power on the subject of net metering. Sounds to me like they will, but at a very reduced rate…
Dear Pat,
Mississippi Power would like to thank you for submitting your question. We have put consideration into the issue, and have answered to best of our ability below. We hope this helps.
Southern Company is committed to increase the amount of electricity from renewable resources such as Biomass and Green Energy programs. We have been, and continue to work, in conjunction with federal, state and local agencies on extensive environmental research and programs aimed to reduce greenhouse gases, promote energy efficiency, and renewable generation options.
However, per MPC tariff, in order for a customer to sell power to MPC, the customer must do the following:
1) Be a “qualifying facility” as defined by the 1978 Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act (PURPA), Sections 201 and 210
2) Sign a 5-year contract under Rate Schedule CSPP, provided that the customer’s generating capacity is no more than 100 kW.
3) Interconnect with MPC in order to sell power through a separately metered service, i.e., the existing meter measures purchases by the customer under the standard electric service rate; the second meter measures purchases by the Company under the CSPP Rate Schedule.
We do have a rate schedule for this situation, called CSPP-2 (Cogeneration and Small Power Production Purchases). Under this rate schedule the customer would pay MPC a fixed monthly fee to cover metering and billing associated costs. In addition, MPC would pay the customer a seasonal rate per kilowatt-hour for energy metered into the Company’s system.
Mississippi Power hopes to have helped you develop a better understanding on this the issue. If you have further questions or inquiries, please contact us at http://www.mspower.com, or you can call our customer service line that is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at: 1-800-532-1502. We are pleased to do business with you, and look forward to helping with any further questions or concerns.
Sincerely,
Lois
Online Customer Care Representative
Sounds like Mississippi Power should “develop a better understanding.”
Mississippi Power’s answer sounds like an answer from a monopoly. Just the thing to encourage the status quo.
We are Alternate Energy Solutions LLC and we feel just like all the rest of you. That’s why we developed this company! To help the citizens of MS reduce their electric bill with the use of solar, solar thermal, and wind. At least now the federal government has lifted the cap on the 30% incentive. It used to be up to $2,000. Now it is 30%, no cap. But it does not go into effect until Jan 2009. But hey it’s a start. Now we just need to let our leaders know that we demand net metering, at least the same rate we pay them per kwh then MS could get on board with incentives that other states like AZ and CA have to actually encourage people to purchase renewable energy instead of just trying to sound politically correct. And they beautiful thing about it is that other states have already done the research and policies on it. MS does not have to re invent the wheel. Just look at other states policies and taylor one for MS. I’m tired of MS lagging behind on everything, embarrased even. Obviously you all want to be green, you just want the same incentives that other states have. So come on MS. Listen to the public and enact some renewable energy laws that will benefit this beautiful state and her people. http://www.alternateenergyms.com
We all
know the cost of alternative energy is high but what will it take for us to become part of the solution hmmmmmm I know lets stop paying taxes until we get something for our money like honest officials who live like we live (just above broke)
I just moved last year from Germany to Mississippi, bought a home and enjoying this huge amount of sunshine here, decided to take some money out of my savings and install a solar roof doing something for our energy independence and saving our environment. Now I´m quite shocked about the missing solar tax incentives here. Even Germany has much higher tax rebates for solar installations although having much less sunshine than MS. What a waste of ressources…we could avoid 160 tons and more of greenhose gases a year per home! This is an amount of waste filling a 16 wagon train per home per year!!
Politicians of Mississippi…wake up and take your responsibility for the future generation, our energy independence and our healthy environment.
Support all these people writing here and all who are willing to invest and to do something for our progress in energy independence and use the huge potential of this wonderful sunny state. Mississippi could advance from the last rows in the US economy to the most developed states if we would use this terrific geographical advantage for use and development of solar utilities here…as I see, there are a lot of people ready to go for it…
The truth is the power companies and the oil business are just like we hear about the car companies, they are “JUST TOO BIG TO FAIL” The central banks and the IMF control all this, and they do not like competition period. Not solar, wind, free energy of any kind is just not acceptable. They might allow a few just to keep us from raising questions but if wind or solar is allowed someone on top will control our strings. We are puppets. These guys even decide our leaders, elections are like football games, just something for our entertainment. They control the media, elections, energy, your time, etc. Heck there is a car now that runs on air but it will never be sold here. Just search the net for aircar to see for yourself.
Hey! There are now FIVE bills before the state legislature regarding renewable energy.
http://index.ls.state.ms.us/2009Session.html
Go to this site and search the word “solar”.
Mississippi!! You can say that with a little more pride now. Mississippi passed H.B.194. The Great State of Mississippi will now give a tax credit (that can be carried foward for up to 5 years) of 50% of the first $25,000.00 for the purchase of wind or solar. You can find this on line by typing in HB 194 on MS legislature web page. This is a huge savings for installing solar on our homes espically when you consider the 30% tax credit from the federal government. Now we, Alternate Energy Solutions, can begin to install solar without any reservations in our minds that our customers now have the proper incentives in place. Thank you Mississippi Legislature.
Retract previous statement. The HB 194 did pass the ways and means committee but died in the finance committee, thanks to the chair Dean Kirby. If any of you think that bill should have passed, please let Mr. Kirby know, dkirby@senate.ms.gov
The only way to get these types of incentives passed is to let them know that you want it.
I’ve just sent an email not only to Dean Kirby, but to each and every member of the MS Senate Finance committee. I was very polite but I let them know in no uncertain terms that I am displeased with the death of this bill. MS is so behind the times its not even joke worthy anymore. We need to be on the cutting edge. The destruction left behind after Katrina was the perfect time to rebuild GREEN. How about that Kansas town that went as green as possible after being destroyed by a tornado, Greensburg, I think it was? Long Beach or Biloxi could have used that imprint, buuuuut, MS doesn’t offer the incentives.
25 years to pay for itself doesn’t sound like a viable alternative just yet! Who can afford to spend another 54K on their home and have that investment increase the value of the home only 13k? This is not a viable alternative solution at this price!
I have just been visited by relatives from Biloxi. Since I have started a solar company here in Florida I thought I would see what the incentives were in MS. It doesn’t look too good. And from what the relatives were saying, your electric rates will effectively be doubling within the next 3 years.But on the bright side, prices for solar panels are down right now. The price for a totally installed 5kw system should be around $9 per watt or $45,000. The fed tax credit will bring it down $13,500 to $31,500. When you calculate the payback keep in mind the increase in utility rates. What Mississippians should lobby for is a Renewable energy dividend program like what was passed in Gainesville FL. It is similar to the programs in Germany which catapulted it into first place for solar energy production. And Germany has the solar insolation of Alaska! Go to http://www.farenergy.org for more info and start a grassroots chapter in MS. Good Luck. Things can get brighter if we keep looking up.
I’m with Melanie, 25 years to pay for itself doesn’t sound like a viable alternative to me either. Not only will you be paying for the solar kit, but you will still have a power bill. I’m looking for something around $15,000-$20,000 for a 2400 sq ft. house that uses anywhere from 2000-2800 kwh a month. Also, if there are no rebates, incentives, or tax credits for at least the first 5 years you have your system, it’s not saving anyone anything, just adding a second mortgage on your homes to have pennies for 30 years. Heck, most people can’t afford that and at this time people are trying to get OUT of debt and not in it. People are worried about this government and what they are going to put on us next to pay our of our checks and taking from our children’s mouths to start going in debt for $54,000+ on a solar panel that can be blown away by the next hurricane. Yes, I know I’m a bit negative, but until Mississippi makes it cheap enough to have solar homes, my family will not be able to do it, although I would love to.
You’re right, Selina. Mississippi has a great deal of sunlight, yet the legislators refuse to keep up with the times and create rebate and incentive programs. The best thing you could do is create some kind of press to shame the governor and the legislator into getting up to speed with the rest of the Country and to start creating some kind of subsidy to encourage solar. Thanks for commenting.
I think the Mississippi congress should get behind solar energy for homeowners. It’s time to take a lead in something.
We’re right behind you, Stephen. BTW, just in case you’re near Oxford, Hotty-toddy, gosh almighty, who the hell are, we etc. :). Ringing cowbell if you happen to be aligned with that other team. ;)
UNTIL THE POWER COMPANIES ARE REQUIRED TO PRODUCE GREEN POWER, WE IN MISSISSIPPI ARE NOT GOING GET ANY HELP ON THE SOLAR ISSUE. I SPENT TWO WEEKS IN SAN JOSE CAL IN DEC 2008 GOING TO A SOLAR SCHOOL TO LEARN HOW IT WORKS AND HOW TO INSTALL SOLAR. WHAT I LEARNED WAS CALIFORNIA WANTS SOLAR POWER AND MISSISSIPPI DOES NOT. UNTIL WE START PUSHING OUR POLITICIANS TO ACT WE WILL NEVER GET THE HELP WE NEED.
What a horrible horrible tragedy that has happened off of our coast. We buy power from utility companies without thinking of how it is produced. This should be sign to our government and our citizens that we must curtail our dependency on oil! Solar may not be cheap but at what cost are we willing to pay with our environment? MS has refused to provide us with any incentives to purchase renewable energy. This year again they let us dow by not supporting SB2444. At least Percy Watson let us down. He is the chair of the house ways and means. What is it going to take? Why don’t they care?
I am so depressed and disgusted by what the power companies are doing to us. My partner and I moved down here to Saucier, MS from TX eight years ago, and every single year our electricity rates go up, even though our energy consumption is the same and we have done several things to lower our energy usage. Finally last year I called our electric provider, Coast Electric, and asked them to send someone over to check our meter, because I just can’t believe we are using as much electricity as they claim on our bills. The woman on the phone disuaded me from this by saying that there was a charge to send someone over to do this (I believe the charge was about $50.00) and that 99.9% of the time they send someone over because someone like me feels there is something wrong, there isn’t anything wrong, so she was “just trying to save you some money”, as she put it. I explained to her that we had done as many affordable things to save energy and keep our home cool as we could afford, which included putting solar film on all windows, installing two attic fans on each gable for maximum hot air evacuation, caulking all windows, installing a tankless water heater, and having white shingles placed on our roof after hurricane Katrina damaged it. Yet, even with all of that, our little 1700sq foot brick home was bringing in electric bills of $250-300 in the winter (and we only use our heater sparingly for an hour or two in the winter mornings as we enjoy the cold) and summer bills of $350-400. We never payed this much in TX for electricity, and it was much hotter their than here, and we used up much more electricity to keep our home cool. It’s so bad that I can’t believe that I am now looking at planting quick growing Fig vines (Ficus pumila) all around our home so that they can cover the brick walls to hopefully keep the house cooler, by absorbing the suns rays & heats.
I am also disgusted by the price of Solar panels. Yes, their prices may be coming down, but they are not low enough for average folks like us to afford. In this economy, who can afford fifty to a hundred thousand dollars to have a solar panel system installed? Heck, we can’t even afford ten grand for one. As for it paying for itself in 25 years, I expect to be dead by then, so that doesn’t help me either. If the government was really serious about saving energy and helping the public, they would subsidize solar panels completely, or at least 80-90% so that most folks could get them. But of course, that would put the electric companies out of business, and they have huge amounts of money & lobbyists to make sure this doesn’t happen. I wish to goodness I could offer my home as a model to some solar company so they could install enough panels to power everything and then show it off to everyone, but that’s just dreaming on my part. At this rate, we will have to move out of this beautiful state we have fallen in love with in the near future, because I can clearly see a day when we will have a $500-600 dollar electric bill on our little home, no matter what we do to conserve. With our state being the poorest one in the union, it is criminal more isn’t done to make solar panels affordable here where the sun is always shining. By the way, if you see a brick home in Saucier covered in ivy, feel free to drop by for a glass of iced tea. =)
I am going to call WLBT news station in Jackson and ask what can be done, we need a petition to force the state to do what the people that pay there salary want. I keep hearing no one is spending money and the banks are lending at an all time low so why not make it easy on the people and boost the economy? If enough people call and ask WLBT it will get more air time and get out to all the people in MS not just the few with computers hooked to the internet.
Renewable energy continues to grow in Mississippi due to noble citizen investments.Our state government is on the bottom of the list of networks that have fueled the growth of sustainable electricity in Mississippi due to policy and lack of ongoing investment into renewable energy, Haley Barbour has plans for oil,gas,and nuclear power-plants to begin construction in Mississippi. The state just does not have the power demands like California and Nevada, which is why they have better state incentives than we do. Louisiana on the other hand when compared to Mississippi embraces the adoption of renewable energy with policy and incentives for Louisianan’s.
matt@mssolarsolutions.com
The present fat-cat governor will be gone soon. The next one will be elected based on running a going green campaign, especially solar power. And we can start getting checks back from Entergy…can’t wait for that the rip offs!
I am very interested and looking into solar/wind energy for our home -my parents walk around in the dark and the monthly electric bill is still over $500.00. When Singing River Power stopped by to collect payment on another little house they own, I said, “How can it be $250.00 a month? No one even lives there!” The collector went sorta white in the face. Since then, that monthly bill has dropped to $54.00. So, do I completely trust the electric company? No.
The price of the panels is amazing, but I have seen several sites where people successfully built them their selves and saved $1000′s. I would like to see- in Mississippi- workshops and businesses (for a fee) that help educate Mississippians to build them. Mississippi is a ‘do it myself’ state and we can do it. I aim to be a part of the solution- if just for my hard working dad. I will visit this site again for new information.
sent to governor@governor.state.ms.us.
I recently installed a small renewable source of energy on my home in Perkinston MS, after getting my new bill I realized I reduced my energy by 70% and was being charged 25% more for the energy I did use. After speaking with the power company about the issue they stated there was a 20 dollar a month fee just to have a meter. In my opinion this fee is not all that expensive when you use energy excessively, but when you start to reduce your energy it can add up quickly. last month I paid 17.5 cents per kwh where the average price per kwh in MS is 10 cents. While they are willing to pay you 4.387 cents per kwh for excess energy there will be a fee each month to pay for billing and administrative cost, to offset this fee it will cost you 3000 dollars in solar equipment at the 4.387 cent rate, so for my system this will be taking 1/3 off my energy to pay the fee. Now they will wave the fee if you decide to give them any excess energy you produce this creates a new issue with the fact I produce 2/3 more energy than I can use on comfortable days even when the temputures are extreme the air conditioning does not run constantly, so at times I’ll still be giving power away. With no net metering laws in place this would also be unacceptable. Net metering alone will not help renewable energy as much as every one thinks because the EPA’s are being allowed to set the value of renewable energy and the fees associated with them, with out the opinions of the public or their representation ( public service commission) . Also the EPA has stated when the rates go up for the new lignite plant they will not be increasing the rate they pay for excess renewable energy they purchase. It seems the whole world is driving toward renewable and Mississippi and the power companies are north bound in that south bound lane.
I ask that our representative start picking up some of the issues relating to renewable energy. Its time, and the power company’s are not going to do it on their own.
Your Constituent
Paul Redmond
Great letter Paul!
Paul, great stuff! Would you send me some details of your solar equipment you used.
Thx Mel
office@lawnjox.com
I have just recently become really interested in solar power and I’m only beginning to learn the details. Are there any suggestions for how to build-your-own solar panels? After reading these post I am a little discouraged about how our state doesn’t have the foresight to see how valuable solar power can be. I love my state but how behind the times can we be? My husband can make or build almost anything so maybe we can beat the system by building the panels ourselves…puzzled in Pelahatchie……..
After reading all these comments I am disheartned that most seem to think more government involvement is the answer. That and the evil utilites and oil companies are out to get us all. Has everyone forgotten that these “evil” companies employ thousands of people, pay dividends to thousands of investors, pay millions in taxes and give us a standard of living the world has never seen?
I would also suggest taking tax payers money and subsidizing people who want to feel good about their “green” policy through tax credits is wrong. Solar panels cost a lot of money and are very inefficient. How about putting pressure on the companies that make the panels to lower the cost? (Anybody wrote a letter to GE lately?) They shouldn’t be allowed to make a profit either, right?
It is absurd to think that most Mississippian’s are willing or capable of paying even $10,000 for solar power. Our government can’t afford tax breaks to put solar on enough homes to matter. The bottom line is that solar, wind and other renewables are not economically feasible on their own right now. No amount of whining about the lack of government “help” will change that. If you really want to do something to help the environment invent an inexpensive, effiecient solar panel. Or you could put your money where your mouth is and invest the $54K in your own panels without the use of my tax dollars.
I think David works for Mississippi Power. Solar Power is feasible in any state even without incentives. what else can you buy that will pay for itself? Also, it is worth it to see look on the face of the utility company when the meter is always going the other way in day, and if you have enough batteries (usually 8-16 L 16) then you can unplug the utility anyway. check out http://www.solarpromagazine.com to see what the rest of the US is doing… Did you know that 24MW of PV was installed today, yesterday, and the day before in the world? Avoid corruption, stop renting power from them today.
Hey David, You may be forgetting the fact that the power company claims to be non profit. Do you think renewable is the dumbest thing your tax dollars are being spent on? Why don’t we talk about where the 20 dollar meter fee (the power company charges) is going. For instance we pay 1.25 per month to the epa for a unadvertised life insurance plan (life patornage fund) that if you move or are late one month on your power bill it starts over. Now that disheartens me I think they have alot of “IF WE DON’T SPEND IT WE WON’T GET IT NEXT YEAR” going on. Instead of just letting the meters go forward and backward the power company is finding ways to make a reason to charge fees and make it as complicated as possible to interconnect. How many power companies do you know of that have gone under or filled bankruptcy due to renewable energy getting a good price per kwh? YOU SHOULD BE PROUD SOME PEOPLE ARE HOOKING UP CLEAN ENERGY TO YOUR DIRTY POWER LINES. The EPA’s in Mississippi are not capable of setting fair rates for renewable energy. why don’t we let the insurance companies charge what they want? BECAUSE THEY COULD NOT SET A FAIR RATE.
On the other hand you right the gov will probable stay out of it because they and the public service commission roll over and piss on their selves every time the epa looks at them.
Mississippians also should realize while solar does not have a quick pay back at least it does have a pay back where as your 200 or 300 dollar power bill will never pay you back.
I can only hope one of our representative stands up. Heck I’d just appreciate them returning my calls.
Its bad enough that MS does not offer any tax incentives to help offset the cost to install renewable energy but it is a shameful thing when government grants are awarded to a MS business to install solar and that grant money is given to a solar company in another state! So much for building jobs in MS.
David sounds like he listens to too much Rush. I wonder why he visits this site?
I may have over reacted, I should have just added to what David has pointed out. While these industries do employ many people there will be a transition period where for say 20 years jobs will be added on the renewable side. My local utility provider prvepa will still need all 137 employees it currently has. smepa which is who supplies the coal/lignite power would be smart to start investing in ways to store the renewable energy again adding jobs. As for the oil companies you failed to mention terrorist getting a big chunk of the profits which were record breaking the last few years and how when the oil is gone their will be hell to pay. America will be crippled and the people that laughed all the way to the bank will now have nothing to lose and we all know where terrorist with big bank account can lead. Hows the standard of living going to be then? Don’t worry about the government they will easily find a way to capitalize on renewable.
As for the efficiency portion of your comment, what are you comparing it to ?
Are you referring to the loses from the panels to the appliance? For a 225 watt panel you’ll end up with 195watts at the point of use. I think I can live with that. Maybe your referring to the efficiency rate of the panels, where I would say the space on the roof was not used and now produces power and shades a what would have been super heated roof.
Your posts are just another attempt to discredit anything that threatens the power company’s coal sales just like SMEPA’s article about renewable energy. where are yall living? Mississippi has plenty of sunny days and even when its overcast the system will keep up with my base loads excluding the big ac. Here’s the link where the ceo of SMEPA tries to make us feel like we live in rainy cloudy weather all the time. The only thing he left out is the fact we also have dark nights. He goes on to say how they did a survey and no one wants to pay more for power, YOU DON”T SAY,Where was this survey when they decided to invest in a new lignite plant? Energy rates will go up making the payback of these systems shorter and shorter.
http://www.smepa.coop/news/News%20Releases/Renewable%20Energy%20Sources%20-%20What%20Can%20We%20Really%20Expect,%20February%202009.doc.pdf .
Also don’t rely on the power company to give you a accurate price for solar panels. They try to act like you need to offset all of your power. All you need to do at this point is offset your base load to get the quickest pay back.
If any one needs help with the 35 page interconnection agreement I’ll fill it out and do the commissioning test. The wiring for residential scale solar with micro inverters is just as easy as hooking up a water heater.
To some this up , I disagree with the power companies opinions and valueations of renewable. We look forward to receiving a nice share of those tax dollars soon.
Here is a link to the monitoring site for my system in Perkinston Mississippi. http://enlighten.enphaseenergy.com/public/systems/rQq46398 Regardless of the dew point, humidity, wind, haze, cloads or some times even when it rains the solar panels still put out power. There have been dark rainy days where the system only put out 1 kwh but as you’ll see there have been plenty productive days.
Maybe David has something there, I emails Pearl River Vally Electric and Mississippi power and South Mississippi Power Association today to see if they would offer blocks of renewable energy to their customers. A block being 100 kwh for say 3 bucks extra on your bill. something like this http://www.stoughtonutilities.com/renewable.aspx
This would solve several things.
1.The power company could pay a better rate to the renewable source instead of 4 cents it would be 6 or 7 cents per kwh
2.It would shut up some of the belly aching.
3. People could choose if they want to support renewable energy.
4. Our state representatives could hold their positions be it “could care less” or “looking the other way $$$”
If you would like to be given the option to purchase renewable energy from your power company please email me at showmeyourgreencard@gmail.com
We need to get organized…
paul who did you buy your system from
This is where I got the system. http://www.affordable-solar.com/grid-tie-kits.htm
If each one of South Mississippi Electric Power Association’s 400,000 costumers installed 2 panels (400 watts) on their home it would amount to 160,000,000 watts or 16 mega watts. So every hour the sun was shinning those small systems would be producing enough to power 106 homes for 1 month. today we had 6 hrs of strong productive sun that would have powered 600 homes for 1 month. I’d say not to shabby for an inefficient rock sitting in the sun. fun fact; trees are less than 5% efficient at converting sun light to growth, not sure what the losses where during the millions of years it took the earth to form lignite and coal, maybe plants where more efficient at converting the sun’s energy back then.
Barbour’s answer to energy is to use more nonrenewable energy to extract more nonrenewable energy so that america can use more nonrenewable energy and apparently thats going to reduce the cost of energy so that we can all use
(you guessed it) MORE NONRENEWABLE ENERGY. Now thats an energy platform to run on. Oh and don’t worry he has if from the highest authority (probable the power company) that we have 100 or 200 years worth of this cheap energy left. I guess the rate cuts will kick in right after we pay off Mississippi Powers new gasification plant? He has it all figured out.
Oh, david, I wanted to make sure you seen this on mississippi power’s web site,
Q: Is it true that Mississippi Power is receiving federal funding?
A: Yes. To offset the costs to construct the facility, Mississippi Power has received a $270 million grant from the Department of Energy, $133 million in investment tax credits approved by the IRS provided under the National Energy Policy Act of 2005, and loan guarantees from the federal government. Mississippi Power has also applied for an additional $279 million in IRS tax credits. Mississippi Power also recently received an additional $279 million in IRS tax credits.
Looks as though they got nice chunk of your tax dollars as well $961,000,000 and MS tax payers will get to pay for the rest of it though rate hikes. We could have 5 panels on every house in Mississippi for that.
I hate to be nasty but can’t stand to be pushed into a corner and ignored by representatives.
showmeyourgreencard@gmail.com
The internet, chase.
The epa of Mississippi wants to hear your thoughts on renewable energy. They have started a “lets talk” page and apparently want to know what you think. heres the link. http://www.epaofms.com/form_letsTalk.aspx
Thanks Paul. I just sent an email to them saying basically I would not recommend anyone connecting their solar power to the grid unless we got paid for providing the utility company with the power that was generated by our solar power the same rate at which they charge us for using their power. We would both benefit. The peak load period, the time in which the utility company uses and needs the most power happens to be the time in which our solar panels are producing the most power and we are not at home to use that power. The utility company could use that power say (1 KW) then and at night when we get home we use (1KW) for free. That is dollar for dollar fair. Until they are willing to net meter in this manner I would not connect to the grid. One day they might see the light (no pun) and ask to use our green generated power. They may be mandated to use it. I don’t see why they would have a problem with it. That has got to be a “c’mon man”…
By the way. The price to install solar has come down and federal incentives have gone up since they posted that spreadsheet above. We would install a 2 KW system for about $16,000 you would get a 30% federal tax credit of $4,800, which would bring the cost down to $11,200!
If you installed this on your business, you would get an additional tax credit plus save on the amount you pay to the utility company and have this renewable energy system producing energy for well over 30 years.
http://www.alternateenergyms.com
Also green drinks in gulfport/biloxi is looking for someone interested in renewable energy to organize their meetings again. We have not had a leader in over a year! If you are spirited and would like to organize this group-please step up and take the reigns. contact http://www.msalternateenergy@gmail.com
Many of the posts above have called for some sort of organized action and interaction with elected officials and utility executives. On May 10-11 in Biloxi, MS, an event is being held that will allow citizens an opportunity to engage with officials, utilities, and business leaders.
Advocates for biomass utilization and renewable energy development from across the state and region will gather in Biloxi, Mississippi on May 10-11, 2011, to learn, promote and network. The theme of the conference “A Decade of Promoting Biomass and Renewable Energy”, will celebrate the 10 year history of the Southern Bioproducts and Renewable Energy Conference. Since 2001, researchers, project developers, policy makers and renewable energy advocates from all backgrounds have come together on an annual basis to help lay the critical pathway the state and southern region must take to advance a new energy future that is clean, vibrant and more secure.
Other conference activities include a student research poster competition, with cash prizes. In addition, the Mississippi Biomass and Renewable Energy Council will award its sixth Undergraduate Biomass Studies Scholarship, in the amount of $1,000 towards a student’s tuition. Interested students may obtain a scholarship application form from the Mississippi Biomass and Renewable Energy Council website (www.ms-biomass.org). Applications are due by April 15.
For more information: Online registration and a downloadable registration form are available at http://www.ms-biomass.org along with a detailed agenda.
For additional conference information, contact Tamme Bufkin, 601-408-8508, tbufkin@megagate.com, or Lydia Allison, 662-325-0479, lallison@bagley.msstate.edu.
You can also contact me bbailey@25×25.org
The 2011-published, “Free Market Solar Power” book explains that, to win over the Red States, Solar PV is best advocated as a wealth generator for “Joe Six Pack” and only secondarily for its ecological benefits — benefits that greenies too often exaggerate (Solar PV, for example, will NOT lessen our dependence on foreign oil). Hence, the solar vendors should work toward bringing Solar PV’s cost down to $1/watt installed — without subsidies. That includes eliminating costly government regulations.
$1/watt will open up a “Solar Aisle” at Home Depot, commodity (like PCs) level sales, and resulting epic ecological benefit. It will also trigger a tidal wave of prosperity built on net-new-wealth, not “government-printed” wealth.
The book also explains why two wrongs STILL do not make a right: The answer to subsidizing brown power is NOT to subsidize green, which only inflates prices (so solar vendors cop much of the spread) and thus creates even more Corporate Welfare Queens. The answer is to de-subsidize brown. Government officials, like all central planners, are the last people who should be making choices for the free market. Consumers should.
Even so, if we must have subsidies, then the book proposes the most efficient kind: Back-end, tied to performance, and use private solar vendor dollars to do it. Those vendors can stream “supplemental reverse meter credits” through local utilities and receive highly targeted, valuable advertising in return. That would also further commit the utilities to green power — a twin benefit.
My book is completely free, no gimmicks, come-ons or ads: https://sites.google.com/site/freemarketsolarpower/ It includes photos and details of my 10KW Solar PV array and a new, Ultra-Green (but less costly than conventional) housing prototype that I designed.
I assume TVA Batesville, MS has been reading my meter wrong for over eight years My light bill is always $300 to $400 dollars every month. I have a computer and a lamp fridge and AC on the hot days but I cut it off at night. In the winter I burn wood for heat and block off every room in my home except for the kitchen bathroom & bedroom. I have not had gas in my tank in four years I can not afford it. I cook outside on the grille 90% of the time In the month of May 2011 I got a light bill for $89.00 but this month 6/2011 TVA sent me a bill for over $500.00 dollars. I am disable and can not afford food because of TVA’S high cost of electricity. I sure wished I could get some of those solar panels everybody’s talking about but they tell me they are to expensive for someone like me. I am so sick of having my lights turned off because I can’t pay the bills TVA sends me. I have a breathing machine I am attached to 24/7 but a friend loaned me a gas powered generator so I can keep it going when my lights get cut off. My point is If I ever get the funds I want a solar powered home too. Love to everybody God bless.
Prentis, I recommend you contact TVEPA concerning your interest in solar panels,it appears they do participate in TVA’s green power switch program.This program is the best you can get in MS and several of the surrounding states.
I think you may have some problems in your homes electrical system, if your as frugal with your usage as you say you are and your bill is still 500 bucks. I would like to talk with you, email me at showmeyourgreencard@gmail.com
I find the comments that I have read to be very interesting. It seems to me that the majority of comments view the power companies as the “enemy”, which I believe they are not.
Power utility companies do the best they can to provide safe, reliable, inexpensive power, while trying to plan for future growth, as well as trying to control rising costs.
When you consider the volatile pricing structure of coal, and the fact that the coal companies usually only provide one year contracts, maintaining resonable priced power can be difficult, but the power companies manage to do it.
I read of someone having $500 monthly power bills. I would suggest that you check for leaks all around your house (windows, doors, insulation in the attic, etc.). How old is you AC unit (inside and outside units), the older the units are the less efficient they will be. Same with your water heater. The stove, water heater, and AC/heat will consume the most power each month.
Someone else suggested selling the power company the extra power that the home owner didn’t use/produced to the power company at the same rate that they pay the power company. You have to understand that the power company, to survive, must charge a profit, just like any other company, and your monthly power bill represents this. So, because of this, it is very unlikely that the power company will purchase power and then resell it at the same price. You say raise the price to the consumer. Do you want to pay more?
Take into consideration that the power companies need to maintain their facilities, ever increasing regulations and requirements are expensive, employees compensation and insurance benefits, along with a host of other expenses, all add to the power companies costs to produce power.
Our country was built on oil, just about everything we do and have can be traced back to oil. From powering our automobiles, to plastics, to cleaning products, to paint, to rubber, etc. Over the last 100 years we have adjusted our life styles to the conveience of oil, and to the conveiences that oil has provided. It will take time for other sources of energy to work its way into our life style, but it will happen.
The same goes for power companies. In the begining coal was used because it was cheap and plentiful, natural gas was also used, as well as nuclear. But the clear winner is coal. Coal has been used as a fuel to produce power for about 100 years, and obviously the power industry is geared towards coal. I think that change will occur, but it will take a while for other manufacturing processes for electrical power to be adopted.
Remember that most utility companies are very conservative in how they act and spend their money. They have spent a great deal of their resources on their current generating facilities, and like most other companies move slowly into unproven new markets of technology.
Should the Federal, State or Local governments subidize an individuals purchase of a solar power system for their house, I’m not sure. Because it is not the governments job to provide improvments to ones home. On the other hand, it is the governments job to help with emerging technology, especially if it will benefit the country as a whole.
I think most renewable power sources have a place in our society, based on the region of the country you live in.
In the region I live in, solar power is probably best (lots of sunshine). I plan on having a solar system within the next year, after I have investigated what is best for me, my community, and yes, the power company.
There is much to consider when installing a solar power system, and one aspect is selling power back to the power company. But the power that you produce must be “clean” because most power utilities will not buy “junk” or “dirty” power. Remember, the power you sell back to the power company will enter the power grid, and junk or dirty power can cause problems to “systems” as well as to other structures capable of accepting power.
I have nothing to do with any power company or governing body. I’ve simply been following the emergence of renewable energy technology and the electrical power industry.
House Bill 1051 needs to be brought up for a vote and passed this year. It will allow tax credits for the purchase of solar systems. Please contact your rep to let them know to vote yes on HB 1051. Or copy and paste Percy Watson at pwatson@house.ms.gov.
Mississippi deserves these tax credits.
Contact your state Rep to pass HB 1051. This will enable you to get a tax credit for your solar installation. Mississippi deserves this credit. Contact pwatson@house.ms.gov and ask him to bring it to a vote and vote yes.
I get the feeling the Mississippi public service commission and our representative are doing little more than posturing a renewable Mississippi. I’ve seen new power plants and offshore drilling get driven right on though the system while anything putting money back in the public’s pocket gets hung up in a docket or never brought up for a vote.
Bull, that comment has exactly the type language the power company uses to cause doubt about producing ones own solar energy. I find it strange your keeping up to date on podunk Mississippi’s emergence (or lack there of) into renewable energy, seems you would post something in other states with the same issues.
bull, While “enemy” is usually a strong word,its simplest meaning is one who opposes the interests or views of another. I suggest most of your comment be written off as power company propaganda, because if you were actually following MS RE policy you would probably know that “junk” or “dirty power” refers to the wave form of the energy being produced and you would also know that inverters labeled for grid tie use would be UL listed and would meet all requirements to be connected to the grid, including the wave form.
This guy try’s to discuse sustainability with a Pearl River Vally Electric Power employee. Check out the employee’s reaction.
http://www.dsireusa.org/incentives/incentive.cfm?Incentive_Code=MS01F&re=0&ee=0
Mississippi Development Authority is offering loans for solar installations in MS for 3% Below prime! This money is funded from oil overcharge restitution funds from the US DOE. Take advantage of it now before it is gone.
Inaction may be the biggest form of action.
Jerry Brown
Keep an eye on HB 793. I have to be optimistic about this bill passing. I mean we have been behind the power curve (pun intended) for way too long here. This bill has some really good incentives to make solar energy more affordable for our state. Eventually, the more we demand, the louder we get, it will happen.
Gulfport High School is transitioning to Career Academies next school year. The foundation of our Academic Institutes is Project Based Learning and my Construction Technology students have decided build a greenhouse this school year that can be used in the future to explore and develop renewable energy and sustainable resources. Right now they’re researching water harvesting, solar and wind power generation, and 12V electrical systems opposed to 120v systems. Of course funding is a concern and since this is brand new way of going about education we’re jumping in head first. If anyone out there has information, advice or assistance please let me know!
We want this greenhouse completely off the grid with students constructing, installing, testing and using the technologies to enhance their educational experience. Furthermore, the greenhouse will afford Culinary, Science, Health Sciences, Business, Marketing and many other Technical and Academic teachers an opportunity to enhance the educational experience of their students as well. Big picture, we’d like to create “Sustainability Village” conceived, designed, constructed, maintained and used by the students to explore and develop green, renewable energy understanding and practices. I’m excited about this opportunity! I just need help getting the community excited as well!
Dave