South Dakota State Solar Power Rebates, Tax Credits, and Incentives

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Solar Legislator Score: South Dakota State Solar Power Rebates, Tax Credits, and Incentives

With Mount Rushmore, the Crazy Horse Memorial, the Badlands, and the Black Hills, who wouldn’t want to be out in the sun in South Dakota. Oh yeah, it’s the home of the Sturgis Harley rally too. With people coming from all around the world to visit, South Dakota should use renewable energy to keep powered up while protecting its great natural environment. Here’s what the state legislature has done to promote clean solar energy so far…

STATE LEGISLATION

Ummm… well, they’re getting to it. Since 1975, the state has had a property tax exemption for renewable energy equipment, but that’s about as much as the state has done for solar power so far. That’s really pretty meager, so write, call, email, visit your legislators and remind them that it’s their job to pass some laws promoting clean solar power.

NET-METERING

Maybe the legislature will get something going soon, but for now, it’s up to your utility company to decide how to net-meter your new solar electricity system.

STATE INCENTIVE PROGRAMS, UTILITY REBATES, UTILITY LOANS, AND UTILITY INCENTIVES

Under the Renewable Energy Systems Exemption, the equipment you install to generate clean solar power is exempt from property tax. You can take a tax credit for the full cost of the system for each of the first 3 years, after that you get three more years in which you can take 75%, 50%, and 25% of the cost respectively.

EXAMPLE 3KW SYSTEM – HOME INSTALLATION COST

You’ve made the right choice to be the neighborhood leader and put in a 3kW solar electricity system at home. In Sioux Falls, your system will run about $54,000, so don’t forget to take the federal tax credit of $2,000. Since South Dakota has a Good solar rating, you’ll have plenty of sun to help your system pay for itself in about 30 years (with an average usage of 1,300kWh each month at a rate of $0.0748/kWh through the City of Sioux Falls Utility). If the price sounds steep to you, remember that you’ll be saving over $840 each year on your utility bills, and even more importantly, you’ll be keeping 160 tons of greenhouse gasses out of the atmosphere. Here are a few more key points to keep in mind about your system:

  • 600 square feet of roof area required
  • $10,060 estimated property value increase – tax exempt!
  • $21,107 estimated savings on your utility bills over 25 years


CONSENSUS

There’s really not much going on here. I think it’s time to find some new legislators in South Dakota. Governor Rounds has not really even mentioned the words “solar power.” He’s jumped on the biofuel/ethanol bandwagon instead. South Dakota, it’s time to kick the habit, and detox with some nice clean solar energy.

Click here to have multiple solar installers bid to upgrade your South Dakota home or business.

 

Read the 6 brilliant comments below or add yours!

Jacqueline Sly Identicon Icon Jacqueline Sly
Comment on March 17th, 2008.

I am sending this to my address so I can have a copy of this page.

Paul Felix Schott Identicon Icon Paul Felix Schott
Comment on September 5th, 2009.

Solar Energy will be the Energy of the future for homes and to recharge our electric cars and trains. SOLAR ENERGY is the fastest growing marketed goods on the Planet Earth. Freedom from the Power Grid and the Oil CEOs.
The Lord’s Little Helper
Paul Felix Schott

Ron Identicon Icon Ron
Comment on September 12th, 2009.

The ‘CONSENSUS’ for your state may be different from another state. How much carbon emissions do solar panels produce to install? Well, it depends on where they are manufactured. Also, do you think the panels that are currently manufactured can withstand a south dakota wind for 20 years?? And how many birds do you want to kill by putting up a wind generator? Or, you could let the farms of South Dakota produce their own form of energy from the same sun.

Comment on September 12th, 2009.

Certainly, Ron, the consensus is going to differ from state to state. As for the carbon emissions of solar panels (the manufacturing “carbon foot print” a report by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) last year put out a report about solar’s carbon footprint. It adds up to 1 to 4 years, depending on the technology and the local of the manufacturing, as you said. So at worst, 4 years, but keep in mind that solar panels last from 20 to 35 years (warrantied 20 to 25 years, but typically go longer) so solar panels way more than offset their manufacturing carbon foot print.

Thanks for commenting and bringing that question up.

Randy Identicon Icon Randy
Comment on September 29th, 2009.

Did you know South Dakota requires all state buildings to be LEED certified when built new or remodeled? That is a bid step forward. I just got back from Pierre, SD where they are installing 24kW of PV and 6kW of wind on a state building visible from the Capitol Building. I provided a bid for this work. Nebraska could take a lesson from a neighboring state that has less solar potential.

Paul Felix Schott Identicon Icon Paul Felix Schott
Comment on November 6th, 2009.

Small Business Innovation Grants and Department of Transportation: Small Business Innovation Research Program. I will build a Solar Electric Car Plant. To make
( Electric / Solar ) cars. The Plant will have its roof covered with Solar Panels (PV) Powered 30 to 50% of its power will come from the Sun, and 20 to 30 % from the wind. The Plant will make Solar / Electric Cars for anyone and will market it to everyone. We Will sell Solar Panels to cover their roofs of their homes, carports and workplaces to recharge their new Solar / Electric Car. ( All Wheel Drive )
This high quality scientific ( Solar / Elictric Car ) engineered by Rocket Scientist, Electrical Engineers and Automotive Engineers will put Science, Engineering Education and Research of Green Technology to have a high potential economic payoff in New Jobs and Clean Transportation for All. That most will be able to recharge their cars at home or work.

And with a little help from ( UNCLE SAM / The United States Government ) and a prayer All will be able to recharge at all are schools that will start to have Solar Covered Parking for Electric or Solar Cars.
We are not building a car to win awards although it most likely will. Development technologlies will be serious engineered to the Working Class People. To make a significant change in the cost to drive. Costing thousands less. Making this car ( Solar Do Work ) The Most Cost – Efficient to Drive. On Planet Earth.

100% Built In
The United States of America
United We Stand In GOD We Trust.

If you can help I would be Grateful.
come join my team.
It will be amazingly rewarding.
putting Americans back to work.

The Lord’s Little Helper
Paul Felix Schott
Solar Do Work
solardowork@yahoo.com

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