systems

The heat typically associated with summer is here to stay, which means Floridians will be turning on their air conditioners.

Families will try to keep the indoor temperature comfortable, which causes their utility bills to rise in line with the outdoor temperature. The heat, combined with continued increases from our state’s largest utilities, is the perfect storm for higher utility bills. Fortunately, many Floridians can help lower their electric bills with solar energy technology, cost and reliability improvements.

The cost of solar energy in Florida has fallen by more than 50% in the past decade. This dramatic decline highlights the growing affordability and appeal of rooftop solar, allowing more Floridians to reap the benefits of renewable energy.

As a solar engineer on hundreds of solar projects over the past 20 years, I’ve seen firsthand the benefits of solar in the Sunshine State. This innovative, endless energy source brings cost savings, disaster resilience and economic growth.

Solar energy is becoming more and more financially attractive as installation costs decrease and utility electricity costs increase each year. Homeowners in the state can expect savings of 50% or more on the energy portion of their utility bills. These savings can be as much thousands of dollars depending on the size and energy efficiency of the house.

Solar panels are built to last for decades and substantial evidence Data from hurricane-prone areas show that the panels not only protect roofs, but can also strengthen them, helping to keep roofing or slabs safe that would otherwise be damaged during a severe storm.

In addition, a solar panel on the roof, when combined with a battery, can help turn on the lights when the rest of the surroundings are dark. For example, after Hurricane Ian devastated southwest Florida in 2022, was able to provide energy to a family home thanks to rooftop solar—even keeping your neighbor’s refrigerator running can keep important medicine cool.

In addition to lowering energy costs for individual homeowners, the solar industry has been a powerful engine for job creation in Florida. The state ranks second in solar employment, boasting more than 40,000 solar jobs. This growth in jobs strengthens the local economy and supports community resilience by developing a healthy and sustainable energy sector.

What should Floridians consider when harnessing the power and benefits of solar energy? Investing in a solar energy system is comparable to upgrading your home with a new air conditioner, remodeling your bathroom or kitchen, or installing a swimming pool. As with these other home improvements, it’s critical for homeowners to take the time to understand their purchase first and carefully select licensed installers in their area.

Fortunately, Florida has many reliable, diligent installers who carefully follow engineering standards, structural assessments, building codes, and manufacturer specifications.

Critics argue that homeowner’s insurance can increase after a solar system is installed — but that’s the same for other home improvement projects. Insurance premiums are based on the value of the home, and a solar energy system increases the value of the home.

Florida Solar Energy Industries Association (FlaSEIA) provides consumption resources for lists of landlords and member companies that have demonstrated a commitment to the local industry. Homeowners should contact the North American Board of Certified Energy Professionals (NABCEP) to ensure that their vendor, designer, installer, and company are NABCEP certified.

Unlike most home improvements, solar energy is an investment that helps the environment and pays for itself. But solar energy offers Florida homeowners more than just cost savings—it’s a smart choice that improves property sustainability, creates jobs and supports our local economy.

By choosing solar power, Floridians are not only saving on their bills, they’re contributing to a brighter, more sustainable state.

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Mark LopataPE is president and chief engineer of Tampa-based Solar Island Energy.

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Jeff Keebler

Madison Gas and Electric (MGE) is seeking approval from the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin (PSCW) to build a 20 MW solar array and 40 MW BESS in Fitchburg, Wis.

Called the Sunnyside Solar Energy Center, the project will provide MGE’s distribution system with locally generated solar energy.

“MGE continues our journey toward deep decarbonization to achieve net zero carbon electricity,” said Jeff Keebler, MGE Chairman, President and CEO.

“Carbon is our target, and our carbon reduction targets are consistent with science. Under our commitment, by 2030, MGE expects to deliver electricity with 80% lower carbon emissions to every MGE electricity customer. Likewise, by 2050, we expect to deliver zero-carbon electricity to every MGE electricity customer. We are cost-effectively decarbonizing our network for the benefit of all customers.”

The creator of the project is EDF Renewables. If approved, construction on the project could begin next year.

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Sunrun is building the nation’s largest virtual power plant to participate in a statewide program designed to bolster California’s strained power grid and reduce power outages by providing load generation during extreme events.

Sunrun (Nasdaq: RUN), the nation’s leading provider of clean energy as a subscription service, has integrated more than 16,200 customers’ solar-plus-storage systems to support California’s electric grid during the hot summer months. Sunrun’s CalReady power plant will reduce grid stress by providing critical power to communities in need throughout California to reduce costs and prevent power outages.

For the second year in a row, Sunrun is demonstrating how uniquely capable, reliable and affordable its solar-plus-storage systems are as essential grid solutions. In the summer of 2023, Sunrun’s Peak Power Rewards program provided Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) with up to 32 megawatts of power from 8,500 customers’ batteries during evening peak hours. This summer, Sunrun is expected to nearly double that capacity and the number of participants for its statewide Demand Side Network Support program.

“We are at the forefront of a customer-led revolution towards a cleaner, more affordable clean energy future. Sunrun’s customers always step up to be part of the solution when presented with an opportunity to help,” said Sunrun CEO Mary Powell. “By sharing clean solar power, they are making California’s grid more sustainable for everyone. Sunrun’s CalReady is the nation’s largest virtual power plant and serves as a model for what the power grid of the future will look like.

The Demand Side Grid Support program, developed and administered by the California Energy Commission, is part of California’s Strategic Reliability Reserve, which aims to increase power supply during heat waves, wildfires and other extreme events. As tens of thousands of registered batteries of aggregators stabilize the network, the risk of blackouts decreases.

As the largest aggregator in the Demand Side Network Support program, Sunrun will monitor and ship its customers’ registered batteries, making it a hassle-free experience. Sunrun customers enrolled in CalReady will be compensated for sharing their stored solar energy with the grid, and Sunrun will be paid to ship the batteries.

“Sunrun’s customer battery was awarded more in California,” Powell said. “A typical customer, while receiving compensation, won’t even feel like they’re sharing the energy they’ve saved to power the grid. As the first storage company, we are committed to stacking the benefits to deliver the most value to our customers, communities and network partners.”

CalReady is available from 4:00 PM to 9:00 PM daily from May through October—the time of day and season when energy demand is greatest and the grid is most vulnerable to outages. Sunrun customers’ batteries will still maintain a minimum 20% reserve so they can continue to power their homes in the event of a local power outage.

“The advantage of Sunrun’s fleet of thousands of batteries is that they can be managed in a unified manner. It’s the scale, speed and power that make Sunrun’s virtual power plants so valuable,” said Chris Rauscher, Sunrun’s head of Network Services. “Just like how a centralized fossil fuel power plant is managed and dispatched by a single entity, Sunrun’s CalReady virtual power plant makes it a powerful contributor to California’s grid. Because CalReady is a distributed resource spread across households across the state, it is more robust and adaptable than a physical power plant.”

During the five months of the program, the California Energy Commission could call on Sunrun’s registered solar-plus-storage systems up to 35 times to provide additional power to the grid and the communities it supports. Enrollment for Sunrun’s CalReady is ongoing, and participation is expected to increase as customer engagement continues.

About Sunrun

Sunrun Inc. (Nasdaq: RUN) revolutionized the solar industry in 2007 by breaking down financial barriers and democratizing access to locally produced, renewable energy. Today, Sunrun is the nation’s leading provider of clean energy as a subscription service, offering residential solar power and storage at no upfront cost. Sunrun’s innovative products and solutions can connect homes to the cleanest energy on earth, providing them with energy security, predictability and convenience. Sunrun also manages energy services that benefit communities, utilities and the electric grid while increasing customer value. Learn more at www.sunrun.com

Press release from Sunrun

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Several rows of solar panels on Whistle Hill in Soldotna. (Hunter Morrison/KDLL)

A bill to regulate community solar projects is moving quickly through the Alaska Legislature and appears close to becoming law.

Community solar projects are small-scale solar farms that local ratepayers can purchase in exchange for lower electricity bills. Advocates say the model provides affordable, clean electricity to residents in a variety of living situations.

For more than a decade, Alaska homeowners have been allowed to install solar panels to power their homes and sell any excess energy to local utilities, a practice called net metering.

Phil Wight, a policy analyst with the Alaska Public Interest Research Group, said it’s a big deal for homeowners. But he says renters, people with shady roofs or people who can’t afford to install solar panels don’t have the same opportunity.

“Community solar allows everyday Alaskans to invest in solar energy at a centralized facility. People own shares of it and then deduct a portion of the energy produced from their energy bill.

Wight worked with Anchorage Democratic Sen. Bill Wielechowski’s office to draft the bill, which passed the Senate unanimously in late April.

Chugach Electric Association, the largest utility in the state, recently had a community solar project approved by state regulators. Domestic utility Golden Valley Electric Union has also discussed the idea. Wight said passing the bill would speed up the construction process for each project.

“We really want to create a clear regulatory framework in the market for dozens of these facilities to be launched,” Wight said. “Instead of having a project here or there that has to go through this long review every time.”

Wight said community solar could also play a role in alleviating the natural gas shortage Alaska’s Rail Belt is facing.

The Environmental Protection Agency recently awarded a total of $125 million to the Tanana Chiefs Conference, the Alaska Energy Authority and the Alaska Housing Finance Corporation to deploy rooftop solar and community solar projects in the state.

“It’s important to pass this bill so we can take advantage of the federal dollars coming in,” Wielechowski said. He added that he was “pretty sure” the bill would be passed by the end of this session.

The bill awaits a vote in the House Rules Committee.

The US Environmental Protection Agency recently announced a $7 billion funding wave for the Solar for All program, and the Georgia coalition received more than $156 million of that.

Solar for All is a function of President Biden’s clean energy agenda; the program itself was born out of the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act, which has already seen billions poured into energy security and climate change. Over 10 years, about 370 billion dollars have been allocated to these categories.

“This is a historic, first-time federal government investment in solar access for lower-income residents,” said Chris Carnevale, Director of Climate Advocacy at the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy (SACE).

The Georgia coalition that received the funding is led by Capital Good Fund, a nonprofit organization that uses its nonprofit status to get a direct-pay business tax credit to buy a rooftop solar system — something regular homeowners can’t do — and solar effectively increases its energy. available to low-income homeowners.

Prior to the announcement, Capital Good Fund had been testing a pilot program called Georgia BRIGHT since last year; now with additional federal funds, the success of this program will be expanded.

“The Georgia BRIGHT Communities Coalition strives to bring the benefits of solar energy to underserved communities in the state of Georgia,” the project description on the EPA website reads. “The coalition will accelerate the adoption of clean energy, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, create good jobs and ease energy burdens by expanding or creating many types of solar programs – the single-family rental program, the free direct installation program and the novel Community Benefit solar program.

The coalition is partnering with three Georgia cities, Atlanta, Savannah and Decatur, to meet their respective clean energy goals.

Carnevale has been working with SACE in the clean energy transition space for nearly 15 years. He said it’s not the first time the federal government has supported solar homeowners, but it’s focused on making sure low-income households have access to it, which sets the Solar for All program apart.

“With the Recovery Act, the Obama administration introduced federal solar tax credits, there is support for homeowners to go solar — typically about 30 percent of the cost of the system,” Carnevale said. “But the catch is that you have to have enough tax liability to take advantage of this tax credit – so if you’re one of those households without it, [tax liability] to the federal government, you haven’t been able to take full advantage of the value of this incentive. So hopefully this is an alternative type of investment for people with lower incomes to get solar.

He added that this makes the program both unique and unprecedented.

While solar is a big step forward, it’s also worth noting that the Inflation Reduction Act created other opportunities for homeowners to save money—namely, energy efficiency through Home Energy rebates. These rebates are implemented through the states and are not yet available, but are expected to be announced this year; Georgia’s concessions, in particular, will come through the Georgia EPD.

These rebates hope to encourage homeowners to purchase home improvements such as more energy-efficient appliances, HVAC systems, and insulation. The goal is to help homeowners save on energy costs by reducing energy consumption, while helping the country meet its clean energy goals and use less. fossil fuels.

Solar power tends to get a lot of hype – and rightly so, as it’s the first distributed energy source available to humans – but it’s important not to overlook the less “glamorous” fixes that can be made through opportunities like Home Energy Rebates.

“Everyone should always make their home as efficient as possible to reduce their energy needs before investing in solar as much as possible, because saving a kilowatt by having a well-insulated and tightly sealed home is cheaper and easier than generating a kilowatt with solar energy. ” said Carnevale.

Carnevale said that while $150 million is a huge, historic investment, it can only move the needle so far. Still, he and other clean energy advocates are excited to see how the funding will be used across the state.

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