Delaware Electric Cooperative Solar: What You Need to Know
National Solar Industry 9,000 solar companies • Employing over 209,000 people • Nearly 32 GW currently installed • nationwide Enough solar to power more • than 6.2 million homes Installation prices have dropped • 63% since 2011
National Solar Industry
Delaware Solar Industry 46 solar companies employing • over 452 people 18 MW of solar capacity • installed in 2015 88 MW currently installed in the • State Statewide RPS includes 3.5% • required to come from solar
DEC Member Generation 296 new installations in 2016 • Installations Size (MW) Owned 828 7.79 Increase of 2,602 kW • Leased 248 2.37 Leased systems have become • DEC 1 4.00 very popular Total 1,077 14.16
DEC Member Generation Installations Owned Owned % Leased Leased % 2010 115 115 0% 0 0% 2011 108 108 0% 0 0% 2012 60 60 0% 0 0% 2013 55 55 0% 0 0% 2014 106 103 97% 3 3% 2015 235 152 65% 83 35% 2016 296 136 46% 160 54%
What do you need to know? Sizing • 110% of 24 month average • Can add to system after • initial installation Limits • Residential – 25kW • Non-residential – 500kW • Agricultural – 100kW •
Review Process This review process is only applicable to interconnections less than 100kW Step 1. Pre-Approval (Review Duration – 10 business days) During the pre-approval period, DEC will determine the following: Item 1. Does the application meet the 110% requirement Item 2. Does the transformer require upgrades If item 1 and 2 are both satisfactory, then the pre-approval is released at or before the 10 business day time frame. If Item 1 is not satisfactory, the pre-approval is sent back rejected and the process begins again If item 2 is not satisfactory, the following Step 1a . occurs:
Review Process Step 1a. (as needed) T ransformer upgrade required (35 business days duration minimum (see Item 4.) Item 3. DEC generates an invoice to be paid by member ( 10 business days) Item 4. Member pays (time determined by Members response to payment) Item 5. T ransformer change-out (construction time – 20 business days) Item 6. Changes sent to mapping – completed as staked (5 business days) Step 2. Final Approval (Review Duration – 10 business days) Item 7. Metering Department inspects job, changes meter Item 8. Billing is notified for account changes Item 9. Mapping is notified for net meter Item 10. Engineering gives final approval
Is Solar Right For Me? Do I purchase? Do I lease?
What do you need to know? Costs • DEC Electric Costs • PV System • Other fees • Fees • DEC upgrades • Inspections • Sizing • Metering/Billing • Incentives •
What do you need to know? Costs – DEC Electric Costs • Lowest cost in State • Proposed Decrease of ~5% effective • 3/1/17 (pending Board approval) Price to compare • Supply & Delivery Only • 10.3 cents/kWh •
What do you need to know? Costs – DEC Electric Costs • From 2000 – present • Increase of 1.8% Annualized • From 2008 – present • Decrease of 6.3% Overall •
What do you need to know? Costs – PV System • $3.42 per watt – 2016 DE • avg. Panel degradation of ~1% • per year
What do you need to know? Metering/Billing • Net metering (forward/reverse) • Home takes priority • Excess generation • Kwh & dollar credit • Excess usage • Kwh & dollar charge • Customer Charge • Fixed charge • Always billed •
What do you need to know? Incentives (Purchased Only) • Tax Credits • Grants/Rebates • Renewable Energy Credits • (RECs)
What do you need to know? • Solar Investment Tax Credit Part of Energy Policy Act • of 2005 Extended in 2015 • 30% credit though 2019 • 26% credit in 2020 •
What do you need to know? • Renewable Resource Fund • Class A (less than 50 kW) • First 5 kW $0.50 per watt • Over 5kW $0.20 per watt • Not to exceed $2,500
What do you need to know? • Renewable Resource Fund • Class B (over 50 kW) • First 5 kW $0.50 per watt • Over 5kW $0.20 per watt • Not to exceed $3,500
What do you need to know? • Renewable Resource Fund • Non-Profit • First 5 kW $1.05 per watt • Over 5kW $0.52 per watt • Not to exceed $3,500
What do you need to know? Renewable Resource Fund • • Managed by DNREC Division of Energy & Climate • Applications accepted for 1 week in January • Approval based on interconnect date • Currently 126 grants worth $423,456 in que • DEC collects ~$39,000/mo for grant payments
What do you need to know? • Solar Renewable Energy Credits (SREC) • Generated based on system size • 1 SREC = 1,000 kWh • 10 kW = ~12 SRECs annually • Value determined by market supply & demand
What do you need to know? • What does this all mean? • 5-8 Year Payback
Solar Lease • 20 year contract • Not using utility specific pricing when estimating electric bills • Oversizing system using lower than average peak sun hours
Solar Lease • DEC’s price to compare is • 10.3 cents kWh • Lease contracts • 10.5 – 10.6 cents kWh for the first year with a 2.9% escalator • 13.2–13.7 cents kWh fixed
What about Capital Credits? Return of member portion of • margin (profit) • Typically 16 year turn around • Last year paid 1999, 2000 & 2001 Average residential member – • $75 - 100 annual allocation • $1,500 – 2,000 •
Troy W. Dickerson, E.I. Manager of Engineering tdickerson@decoop.com (302) 349-3125 Kevin Yingling, C.E.M Manager of Business Development & Energy Services kevin@decoop.com (302) 349-3120
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