Connecticut Solar Rebates and Incentives for 2023 | Premier Improvement Solar
Premier Improvements Solar in West Hartford Connecticut has been a pioneer in providing residential customers with renewable energy solutions. To make clean energy more accessible and affordable for homeowners, they have implemented several initiatives – one of which being the Residential Renewable Energy Solutions Program. In this blog post, we'll take a closer look at this program, its advantages, and how it can help Connecticut residents save money while reducing their carbon footprint.
What is the Residential Renewable Energy Solutions Program?
The Residential Renewable Energy Solutions Program is a state-funded initiative that promotes clean energy solutions by offering financial rewards to residential customers who install renewable energy systems in their homes.
Connecticut Public Act 19-335, An Act Concerning the Green Economy and Environmental Protection created this program to continue the growth of residential renewable energy markets after the Connecticut Green Bank solar program ended and to implement the state's net metering policy. The Residential Renewable Energy Solutions Program allows residential solar installations to sell energy and renewable energy certificates at a fixed price for 20 years. You can choose from one of two incentive rates: 1) Buy-all, or 2) Netting. Eversource and UI will buy all energy and Renewable Energy certificates (RECs) produced by the qualified project under the Buy-All incentive structure. Eversource or I will buy all RECs produced by the qualified project under the Netting incentive rate scheme. In addition, we will credit the customer's electric bill with monetary credits for energy that is exported to the grid but not used on site.
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What are the incentives rates (Tariffs), that apply to Residential Renewable Energy Solutions?
PURA issued the Interim Decision in Docket No. 21-08-02 was issued on October 6, 2021. It included the 2022 Netting Tariff and Buy all rates. The following incentive rates will apply to eligible applications received by January 1, 2022, based on the Interim Decision.
How long does it take for Permission to Operate to be granted?
Eversource and UI will operate the Renewable Energy Solutions Application Review Process using the approved processes for Distributed Generation Interconnections. The goal is to maintain the timelines as outlined in each utility's Distributed Generation Interconnection Guidelines. Timing is not just a function of the utility review cycle but also the accuracy and completeness of the application submission. In general, conditional approval can usually be granted within 2–5 weeks of submission of the application or payment of the fee. The final PTO is affected by weather conditions, construction time and inspection. Most interconnections get PTO within 30–60 days of application.
How does this program work with 3rd-party ownership of a residential system?
Residential Buy-all and Netting incentive structures are applicable to customer-owned as well as third-party owned (lease/PAA) systems. Third-party systems that are Netting-incentive-structured would be given monetary on-bill credits to the customer of record for netted production. They can also assign direct payments to a third-party Tariff Payment Beneficiary or themselves. The Buy-all incentive can be split so that any percentage (0%) to 100% goes to the customer of record. The remaining percentage can be used to direct-pay a third party Tariff Payment Beneficiary. Beneficiary (in the instance of a buy-all, this must be someone besides the customer).
How can a project with a capacity of 25 kW interconnect with another?
The State of CT legislation sets a 25 kW AC cap on residential projects. If a project exceeds this threshold, it will be required to apply for interconnection via Fast Track.
Does the Interconnection Agreement continue after 20 years?
The Interconnection Agreement is a separate contract between the generator contractor, utility, that contains all rights, duties, and obligations for the interconnected facility.
What is the size limit for Residential Renewable Energy Solutions?
The size limit for Residential Renewable Energy Solutions is 25 kW AC.
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Is it only heat pump allowances or EV kWh allowances? Are there any in-ground heaters or hot tubs that can significantly increase consumption?
Whole-home heat pumps or EV charging are allowed. Where heaters and/or tubs are not, heat pumps and electric vehicles support CT's Clean Energy Goals.
It is not necessary to provide documentation supporting the addition of these electrification methods.
Do the 12 months of the last 5 years that are used as the baseline for the annual consumption calculation to determine system sizing limits have to be consecutive, or can they be taken individually?
The utilities will verify the system size by reviewing historical kWh consumption over any 12-month period in which there have been allowances for heat pumps and/or electric vehicles.
Energy Assessment
Is HES-IE possible in person or online?
Renewable Energy Solutions are only available to properties that have undergone an in-home HES IE energy assessment. These details are found in section IV D of the Program Manual.
Do I need to complete the Home Energy Audit before PTO?
The project must meet the energy assessment requirements through Home Energy Solutions (HES), or Home Energy Solutions must have been completed or scheduled at the time of application.
Tariff Incentive Structures
What is energy compensation in the netting program?
Customers are compensated at the current retail rate (inclusive both supply and delivery costs) for net excess generation. This is the net amount of energy produced less energy consumed. bidirectional meter to measure energy returned to the grid. The incentive rate for RECs in Eversource territory is $.0318/kWh. Production Meter readings are eligible for the REC incentive. This measures all output from the solar PV system, not just the excess on the bidirectional Netting meter.
Is the Buy-all and Netting REC incentive rates subject to adjustment and review each year?
Yes, PURA will re-evaluate the Netting REC and Buy-all rate on an annual basis. The Buy-All incentive is locked in for 20 year after a customer has enrolled during a program year. Customers who are Netting incentive customers will receive net generation compensation based on their retail rate. This rate can change over time. However, their REC incentive rate is locked in for 20 years.
Why would a customer choose to buy-all over netting?
Residential Renewable Energy Solutions was created to be neutral about which option, netting or buy-all, a client selects. Rate setting was intended to provide a rate that provides a return of approximately 9%-11% for customers, regardless of the incentive structure.
Please explain the percentage of net kWh produced that will be eligible for the $.0318/kWh REC Payment
The REC incentive for each territory will be given to all net kWh that is recorded by the Production meter. UI has no REC incentive in 2022. PURA will evaluate the rates on an annual basis, including the REC rate.
What is the schedule of REC payments?
UI and Eversource will pay quarterly REC payments to Netting as part of the incentive structure. Both Eversource and UI will make quarterly direct payments as part of their Buy-all incentive scheme.
Are RECs available to anyone apart from utilities (e.g., homeowner, 3rd party) through netting?
Enrolling in the Buy-all or Netting incentive options means that the system owner assigns the RECs to the utility. This information is provided in the REC Assignment form, which must be attached to each Application.
The REC rate $.0318 was added to the $.2943 tariff or included in it. A: The 2022 Buy-all Rate of $.2943 is inclusive of both energy RECs.
Is the retail rate inclusive of the Eversource/UI service supply rates or specific to each customer if they have an additional supplier?
The retail rate is calculated using standard offer rates, even if the customer uses a third-party supplier.
Under the Netting Incentive option will any excess credits be carried over each month?
Yes
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Netting Tariff Metering
Who will install the production meters?
The utility will install a production meter owned by it. Everything else is up to the contractor. The socket in the I&R list is required for self-contained circuits. For Eversource territory, top side utility, bottom inverter, and the opposite for UI.
What is the configuration of the production meter for netting?
In any Netting configuration, the production meter should be placed in the area between the inverter (or AC disconnect switch), as shown on our metering diagrams. Every netting and buy-all should have an AC disconnect switch.
Additional Generation and Battery Storage
Is there any information about the battery programs that will be used to complement this?
The Connecticut Green Bank and utilities are co-administrating a Battery Storage Incentive Program. It will be available beginning January 1, 2022. This program information can be found on the PURA Docket webpage under Docket 17-12-3 RE03 and each utility's respective website.
EverSource Energy Storage Solutions
UI does not offer Energy Storage Solutions
Can an add-on system select only Buy-all incentives?
Customers who add generation to existing systems must choose the Buy-All incentive. This will separate metered. The existing system will continue receiving compensation using the tariff and rate(s), based on the original Statement of Qualifications. However, the Buy-All rate at the time of application will be used to compensate.
What happens if the system is sized using modeling software, and the homeowner decides to use Netting instead?
You can only add modules to fit them and get an incentive to switch to the buy-all.
The tariff for a system that is qualified under a rider (net metering or netting) cannot be modified once it has been qualified. If a customer installs a system using netting but later wants to add generation, they might be eligible for the buy-all.
Residential Renewable Energy Solutions doesn't preclude a system discharging to a grid.
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Program Transition
What role will the Connecticut Green Bank play in the Residential Renewable Energy Solutions Program's new Residential Renewable Energy Solutions Program?
Eversource and UI manage the new Residential Renewable Energy Solutions Program. Connecticut Green Bank could be a consultant for PURA's Office of Education Enforcement (EOE) in various duties related to contractor education, enforcement, and enforcement.
What happens to customers of solar net metering? Will they be transferred to the new program or not?
Customers who are currently enrolled in the net metering rate for solar PV systems will continue to be charged at that rate until they have their system removed.
What happens if I have received an incentive from RSIP in the past? What if I add more generation to my residence?
Residential Renewable Energy Solutions is not available to solar PV projects that have already been approved or received an incentive from the Connecticut Green Bank.
Could a contractor who has submitted an interconnection request in 2021 opt in to the new tariff program after 2022?
If they have not received Permission To Operate, or meters installed, the applicant can cancel/withdraw their interconnection application. After the cancellation of their previous interconnection application, they can apply for Residential Renewable Energy Solutions starting January 1, 2022.
If a customer adds generation to an existing property, they must separately meter the new system. The current system will still be paid using the old net metering rate, while the new system will receive compensation according to the Buy-All incentive rate at the time that a complete Application is submitted.
At Premier Improvements Solar, We can handle all of your needs from the Design, Permitting, Installation & Inspection of both Residential and Commercial properties. With Solar Tax Credits still available it's a perfect time to start moving forward to your financial freedom from the Utilities. Servicing All the Connecticut and Massachusetts as well as Rhode Island we are always here to help you and answer any Questions you may have. Give us a Call @ 860-969-4006 or visit our website @ PremierImprovementsOne.com for additional info.
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