Power
Saver™ Program
Solar Photovoltaics—Customer Costs and Benefits
Purchasing
a Solar Energy System
Residential Installations
The solar energy rebate for a residential installation is capped
at 80% of the invoiced cost or a maximum of
$13,500, whichever
is less.
Not-for-Profit Installations
The solar energy rebate for not-for-profit installation is capped at 80% of the invoiced cost or a maximum of $100,000, whichever is less.
Commercial Installations
A solar energy rebate for a commercial installation is capped at
80% of the invoiced cost or a maximum of $100,000, whichever
is less.
The total cost for purchasing and
installing the solar energy system is based on three criteria:
A solar energy system installer selected from our Participating Company List will assist you in determining the specific needs for your property.
| Typical Residential Solar Energy System |
| Size |
1 - 9 kilowatts |
| Area covered |
120 - 1080 square feet |
| Location |
Installed on roofs, poles or on the ground |
| |
|
Energy Production and Lower
Electricity Costs
The amount of electricity produced and the
potential energy savings vary based on three criteria. The:
- Size of your system
- System orientation
- Amount of sunlight
Because solar energy systems work best during the
summer, customers with solar energy systems get the greatest benefit
during that time. This is because there are more hours of
sunshine in the summer and summer electric rates are slightly
higher than winter electric rates.
Net Metering—Electric
Bill Credit for Excess Power
Austin Energy customers with solar
energy systems continue to receive electricity as needed from the
Austin Energy electric grid.
Austin Energy will provide "net billing" for customers
on solar energy systems. Should a solar energy system produce more power
at any given moment than the property consumes, the extra
power will flow into the Austin Energy electric gird.
Over any month when a solar energy system sends
more power into the Austin Energy grid than the homes takes
from the grid, the difference or net will result in a credit
on the customer's electric bill. The credit will be determined
by multiplying the net kilowatt-hours (kWh) of electricity
fed into the grid by the current fuel charge.
Low Maintenance, Easily
Expandable Systems
Solar energy systems are easy to maintain
because they have no moving parts. Solar panels can also be
added to an existing system to increase its power capacity.
Solar Energy System Warranties
Solar energy system modules typically carry
20-30 year warranties. Your system inverter typically carries
a 5-year warranty. The Austin Energy Solar Rebate program
requires that all solar systems installed carry a 5-year warranty in addition to a 10-year manufacturer warranty on inverters in residential applications without battery back-up.
Power
Saver™ Program—Saving Energy Together
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