Tag Archives: Database of State Incentives for Renewables & Efficiency (DSIRE)

Hello, sunshine!

Written by Lynn Hartzell, Nebraska Home Sales Realtor,
Contributor, Lincoln Journal Star Lifestyle Magazine

I have to admit, there was a time in my life when I heard someone talking about Alternative Energy and I would roll my eyes. I had had a long career at a local public power company working in the power plants that produce energy with coal, diesel fuel and natural gas. They all worked pretty well, and I saw no reason to mess with success. But in 2015, my wife and I did some investigating and found that the price of solar power for residential use was coming down quickly and made financial sense. Continue reading here.

Links to Solar & Small Wind Energy Incentives & Nebraska Energy Office Loans

Federal Investment Tax Credit for solar systems and small wind turbines: 30% to December 31, 2019. Small wind: 100 kilowatts or less. Source: Database of State Incentives for Renewables & Efficiency (DSIRE)

Additionally, LES customers may qualify for a one-time capacity payment of up to $1,000 per kilowatt of peak demand reduced. The total amount customers can receive is determined by the system size and primary direction the system is facing, for example:

  • Southern facing fixed-photovoltaic solar – the unit’s nameplate DC capacity (kW) x $375.
  • Western facing or single or dualaxis tracking fixed-photovoltaic solar – the unit’s nameplate DC capacity (kW) x $475.

Source: Customer-owned Renewable Generation

Business Equipment Depreciation Resources

Farms, businesses have good solar options, advocates say

By Nancy Madsen, St. Peter Herald

st-peter-herald

The time has never been better for adding solar power, developers and renewable energy experts said during a discussion and tour organized by the Minnesota Farmers Union. “Prices of solar have really come down so that utility-scale solar is at grid parity with other sources of generation in 47 states,” said Chris Meyer, southeast regional coordinator with state-created Clean Energy Resource Teams. Continue reading.

Photo: Ralph Kaehler, vice president of business development at Novel Energy Solutions, standing next to a 10-kilowatt array at the Brian Vetter farm in rural Kasota.  Credit: Nancy Madsen/St. Peter Herald

SOLAR FINANCING PROGRAM NANCY MADSEN WRITES ABOUT IN HER ARTICLE
Novel creates a payment plan based on what the tax credits and incentives are, with the remainder covered by what the property owner’s electricity bill is. The property owner will wrap up payments after about 10 years. “You’re using money you’re already spending,” Kaehler said. 

NEBRASKA RENEWABLE ENERGY & ENERGY EFFICIENCY FINANCING PROGRAMS & OTHER INCENTIVES: Database of State Incentives for Renewables & Efficiency (DSIRE) 

ADDITIONAL RECOMMENDED READING

Solar Energy Incentives

Hammond Farm.1

The Database of State Incentives for Renewables & Efficiency (DSIRE) is the most comprehensive source of information on incentives and policies that support renewable energy and energy efficiency in the United States. Established in 1995, DSIRE is operated by the North Carolina Clean Energy Technology Center at North Carolina State University and is funded by the U.S. Department of Energy.

For Nebraska, DSIRE lists 45 policy, financial incentive and grant programs, including the following for solar energy and other renewables: 

Source: DSIRE – Nebraska

Photo: 25-kilowatt photovoltaic system powers the Hammond farm operation west of Benedict. The project estimate was $84,864; however, a USDA grant and federal tax credits reduced the cost to only $19,100, with a payback of just over 6 years, after which the farm will benefit from free energy. Solar panels typically last 25 or more years. Credit: Matt Ryerson / Lincoln Journal Star
News Story: Farms flexing solar power, by Nicholas Bergin, Lincoln Journal Star