Solar Legislator Score: 
A small rock formation on the southern bank of the Arkansas River was used as a landmark by French explorers in the early 1700s. La Petite Roche, “the little rock”, soon became the site of a trading post. A century later it was incorporated as the city of Little Rock, and had grown in importance to become the Territorial Capitol. Today, the State Capitol of Little Rock is the most populous city in Arkansas, with about 204,000 residents living in the city and about 650,000 in the greater metropolitan area. Little Rock also serves as the Pulaski County seat.
STATE LEGISLATION
As with most states, Arkansas has initiated a number of loan programs and other initiatives that reward energy efficiency in residential and commercial construction. However, renewable energy programs are notably lacking. State officials currently offer no solar incentives, and they don’t seem to have any on the drawing board, either.
STATE INCENTIVE PROGRAMS, UTILITY REBATES, UTILITY LOANS, and UTILITY INCENTIVES
Net Metering is offered in Arkansas through all utility companies. Provisions apply to solar thermal electric, photovoltaics, wind, biomass, hydroelectric, and geothermal, and in virtually all sectors: residential, commercial, industrial, government, institutional, and non-profit organizations. Systems can be up to 25 kW for residential applications and 300 kW for commercial use. The net excess of power generated by the customer is applied as a credit to the next month’s bill; any excess remaining at the end of a 12-month billing cycle reverts to the utility company. Details of this program can be found in the most recent version of HB2334.
There are only a small handful of Arkansas customers participating in Net Metering arrangements.
EXAMPLE RESIDENTIAL SOLAR INSTALLATION
Residents of Little Rock enjoy a good bit of sunshine, and the area earns a solar rating of “great”. Combined with the state’s relatively high energy consumption and electrical utility rates, there are several important reasons to go solar. Unfortunately, with the exception of a federal tax credit of $2,000, there are no financial incentives to spur the use of solar power in Arkansas.
Entergy Arkansas supplies power to Little Rock and about half of the 1.3 million electrical customers in the state. Average usage is 13,584 kWh/year. Replacing about 50% of that electrical consumption with solar power can be accomplished with a 500 square foot area roof installation at a (midrange) cost of approximately $45,000, or a net cost of $43,000 after the federal tax credit.
The benefits:
- Estimated increase in property value – $9,900
- Estimated 25-year utility savings – $20,771
- Estimated reduction in greenhouse gases (CO2) – 139 tons
CONSENSUS
There is not much left to be said. State programs to foster the use of solar energy are virtually non-existent, and Arkansas must be ranked as one of the worst in the country in this regard. It’s time for the legislators to roll up their sleeves and put their state back into the game.
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I have been researching solar power for my residence and when I checked on the rebates and discounts on a system I found out that if I produce more than i can use in a year I have to give it to the electric company, Well thats just wrong what have they ever given me besides a bill or price increase. Why should I spend all of this money to get set up and not be payed for the service I provide them. I don’t see a reason for anyone to want to go solar and until they come up with a better system than giving my energy away then I guess I will have to keep going the way I am going.
What can we do to get renewables in the spotlight? I am a new resident here in the state and want to create government subsidies for solar in the state of Arkansas. We must let our legislators know that we want our energy generation to be recognized and rewarded.
sincerely, lionne
The sad part about all of this is we are distorying our plant and those who are trying to do something to inprove it have to spend a arm and a leg to do so.(does this seem backwards to you).Solar power is a extreem renewable source of power and the bottom line comes down to how much money one can make.(on something they do not own to begin with).what needs to happen is insteed of getting goverment rebates and loans to buy the system, make the system affordable to the masses and put the money hog out of the busisness of killing our one and only world. untill then those who have the money rule the world and will contiune to distroy it.
Tring to do my best in Arkansas, Geannine
In the state of Arkansas, we have a long way to go. I have been sending e-mails to Rep. Marion Berry, who is on the Appropriations committee on Renewable Energy, to try and drum up some incentives for people on the fence about Solar Power. I personally am installing Solar Panels on some rental houses my family owns. With the knowledge I have gained I am slowly starting Solargy Services. I have alot to learn, and I’m sure I’ll have to be patient, and keep wiring houses until it catches on, not for my lack of trying. I plan on holding an information seminar in Mt.Home,AR. in May. The State Gov. needs to re-examine the decision to do Nothing for residents/business owners to help with the Very high prices of Solar Systems. Any help would be appreciated, I have many questions.
TC
I noticed that someone said the cost was to much and someone else said you had to give the utility any extra power you produce.
First thing yu need to understand is if you are renting your electric from the public utility you have no return on your investment at all. Just payment stubs. A solar electric system will last 30 plus years and if your current electric bill is 100 dollars a month that is $36,000. But you know your bill will increase by the rate of inflation, a min of 3.5% but at current energy rates are a lot higher. Check the gas pumps and that pass on to everything else. So over the next 30 years you will pay around $100,000.oo if still renting electric from the utility.
If you go solar your rates don’t change so you end up making money no matter if the state pays for half your install or not.
And for the part of giving the utility free power.. Don’t get a system bigger then what you need. Any Solar dealer in Arkansas can size you a system to meet your needs. One other thing in the state of Arkansas is you are able to rollover your over production for up to one year.
So far all the utilities in Northwest Arkansas have been easy to deal with on netmetering. You give them the form with all 4 sections (name and address and account number and system info) filled out and they will come out test the system and give you a new meter.
I do wish the State of Arkansas would help a little. But that day will come.
TC
Where and when in May will you give your seminar?
The elec co-ops in AR are more concerned with their coal supplies from Wyoming and the train lines between, than any major push to truly get people off the fossil fuels (where they pay lip service to consumer alternatives but that’s about it, and the notion of retail wheeling makes them simply freak out) — where a combination of solar, geo, and nuke power are the best long-term ways to go, versus expanding the gas and coal plants that are the norm here and many other places. For the Natural State, the natural political state is unfortunately the FDR relic penchant for blaming somebody else instead of doing something better. Sad, but true. Not too hopeful.
When will Arkansas power suppliers create a win/win situation that benefits all of the state? There are millions of energy conserving families with middle to low income that would love to employ solar energy if only it was more affordable. ARansas is at the bottom of every list in the nation that aspires to progression in health/safety, and at the top of every list that is less than cost effective for its citizens. This should be a wake-up call to those with the power to implement and effect changes for the good of all.
Wake up legislators, APL and Entergy, Help us to help you!
What is wrong with this generation. How come everyone EXPECTS the government, local or national, to pay for everything that we want. Isn’t taxes high enough. If the legislators in Arkansas were to pass an incentive to help pay for solar pawer for our homes they will use that as an excuse to tax the HECK out of us. Probably 10 times more than the incentives would cost the state. I had much rather see the legislators reduce taxes than to have another excuse to raise them. Go back and read OY NOT SOLAR’s post, he is exactly right. We need to do all we can to conserve and join in and fight the politicians to make our goverments smaller.
We plan on building a new home in the next few years. We’d always assumed we would install as much solar as we could afford.
After using the handy dandy online solar estimate and mopping the coffee off the monitor; there is simply no way we’d be able to afford to go solar, $61,000 for a mid level estimate? That’s AFTER the $2000 Fed rebate. That estimate only figures 50% of our monthly power! It would take close to 50 years to re-coup the initial cost. I don’t have plans on living another 50 years to pay for it.
Don’t get me wrong; I’m the greenest person I know in Perry County. I’m a fiend to recycle, my 10, 11 and 12 yr old kids know more about making good compost than most adults they know and we conserve as much as we possibly can. But this really worries me. What happend to the thought of the longer something is around the cheaper it is? On the “green” network I heard someone say, “why doesn’t every home in the nation have solar panels?” DUH! Who can afford them?
I’ll personally be glad when being “green” isn’t the “in” thing to do anymore and prices start to drop again.
End of rant.
