Solar curious people: If you haven’t done so yet, please read this post on my sister blog site and pass it on. And now on with my regular blog….
For those who follow this blog, they know I love to point them to DSIRE.org, a non-profit database of all of the solar incentives in each state. Another hint that will indicate if solar is an affordable option in your state is by the State’s Renewable Portfolio Standard.
A state that has passed renewable portfolio standards (RPS) mandates the State to generate a certain percentage of their energy from renewable energy. In order to meet these goals, many legislators and their utilities will pass solar incentives. If you live in one of these states below, you’re more likely to find state incentives that will help you go solar.
Also, below, there is another list of states that currently have no RPS goals, which means… there will probably be little if any solar subsidies.
STATE STANDARD BY YEAR
- Arizona 15% 2025
- California 20% 2010
- *Colorado 20% 2020
- Connecticut 27% 2020
- Delaware 20% 2019
- Illinois 25% 2025
- Iowa 105 megawatts 1983
- Kansas 20% 2020
- **Maine 33% 2010
- Maryland 20% 2022
- Massachusetts 15% 2020
- Michigan 10% 2015
- ***Minnesota 25% 2025
- Missouri 15% 2021
- Montana 15% 2015
- Nevada 20% 2015
- New Hampshire 25% 2025
- New Jersey 22.5% 2021
- New Mexico 20% 2020
- New York 24% 2013
- North Carolina 12.5% 2021
- Hawaii 20% 2020
- ****Ohio 25% 2025
- Oregon 25% 2025
- Pennsylvania 18% 2020
- Rhode Island 16% 2020
- *****Texas 5% 2015
- Washington, D.C. 20% 2020
- Washington 15% 2020
- Wisconsin 10% 2015
- The following states have voluntary goals:
- North Dakota 10% 2015
- South Dakota 10% 2015
- Utah 20% 2025
- Vermont 25% 2025
- Virginia 12% 2022
States without RPS or voluntary goals:
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arkansas
- Florida
- Georgia
- Kentucky
- Idaho
- Indiana
- Louisiana
- Mississippi
- Nebraska
- Oklahoma
- South Carolina
- Tennessee
- West Virginia
- Wyoming
*Colorado has set 20 percent goal for investor-owned utilities by 2020 and 10 percent for municipal and cooperative utilities by 2020.
**Maine set 30 percent by 2000 and beginning 2008 to increase renewable power by 1 percent annually.
***Investor-owned utility Xcel is to have 30 percent renewables by 2020 in Minnesota.
****Ohio can reach its goal by including some energy efficiency programs and counting third-generation nuclear power plants.
*****Texas has called for increase of 5,000 MW over the 1999 renewable generation level by 2015. That is about 5 percent of the state’s power generation.
Source: North Carolina State University, and the Pew Center, as reported by Reuters.
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