Dinniman: Solar Rebates Coming Soon

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 21, 2009

CONTACT: AMANDA AXSOM                
PHONE: 610-692-2112     
aaxsom@pasenate.com   

State Senator Andy Dinniman announced that a new state program will soon be in place to help homeowners and small businesses afford solar power systems.

The Commonwealth Finance Authority board recently voted unanimously to borrow $30 million to get the Pennsylvania Sunshine Program under way. Applications for the Sunshine Program are expected to be available in May.

Enacted in July as part of the $650 million Alternative Energy Investment Act, the Sunshine Program will provide rebates of up to 35 percent to cover the purchase and installation of solar electric and hot-water systems.

“Solar power will play an important role in the development of an energy independent Pennsylvania and it is great to see that this program is getting off the ground,” Dinniman said. “It marks a major step forward in protecting our environment, creating new jobs in emerging fields and building a cleaner, brighter future for all of Pennsylvania.”

Funding will be available on a first-come-first-served basis to approved applicants in the form of reimbursement grants through the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP).

Under the program, households may receive one solar photovoltaic (PV) grant for up to 10 kilowatts (kW) of installed PV generating capacity plus one solar thermal (hot-water) grant not to exceed $2,000. A small business may only submit one PV and one solar thermal application at a time and must complete the project and grant process prior to submitting another application.

In addition, residents can apply for a federal tax credit for up to 30 percent of the cost of purchasing and installing a solar power system. For more information, visit http://www.energystar.gov.

The $30 million bond is just part of the $100 million in total funding that the legislature allotted for the Sunshine Program under the Alternative Energy Investment Act. The Commonwealth Finance Authority is expected to issue a number of bonds in coming years to fund the program entirely, as well as several other alternative energy programs.

All applicants for the solar program, either residents or small businesses, will be required to use an installer from the department’s approved list. DEP is currently publishing applications for solar photovoltaic and solar thermal installation contractors wishing to register to participate in the new Pennsylvania Sunshine Program. Applications are available at Senator Dinniman’s office, or on DEP’s Web site, www.depweb.state.pa.us.

For more information, call Senator Dinniman’s office at 610-692-2112 or e-mail aaxsom@pasenate.com.

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