West Virginia Solar Power Rebates, Tax Credits, and Incentives
West Virginia, home to the Appalachian Mountains, and some of the most beautiful hills in the country. You say you want to get out and enjoy cultural activities like traditional music and crafts. Perhaps you want to hobnob with the bigwigs over golf at the Greenbrier? Well, clean power will let you have that chance for generations to come. How about solar energy? Well, here’s what the WV legislature has done so far…
STATE LEGISLATION
Well, maybe the legislature in West Virginia is just waiting for next year to spring a whole boatload of solar power legislation on us. Ok, maybe not… but burning coal just is not going to work if we want to keep using this planet.
NET-METERING
West Virginia does have a net-metering policy in place. It was just passed in January 2007, and provides for net-metering for both commercial and residential systems up to 25kW in capacity. It is however capped at 0.01% of the utility’s peak capacity; that’s not very much. Worse yet, if you don’t have a bi-directional meter, you have to pay to have it installed, not your utility company. Any extra power you generate in a given month will be credited toward your next bill, for a 12 month billing cycle. After 12 months, there’s really no provision for what happens to any excess power you generate.
STATE INCENTIVE PROGRAMS, UTILITY REBATES, UTILITY LOANS, AND UTILITY INCENTIVES
Oops, West Virginia got left in the Stone Age… I mean the Coal Age. There aren’t any incentives for solar power here. It’s time to start calling your legislators to tell them to get on the ball when it comes to saving the atmosphere by promoting clean energy.
EXAMPLE 3KW SYSTEM – HOME INSTALLATION COST
Here you are on the cutting edge of solar power in West Virginia. Installing your 3kW home solar electricity system in Charleston will cost about $58,500. Don’t forget about that federal tax credit though; it will save you $2,000. You’re worried that your system will take 14-34 years to pay for itself? You’ll cover the cost faster than you think if you factor in all the other perks. Using about 1,300kWh each month, for which your power company, Allegheny Power charges $0.0737/kWh, you’ll save about $830-$1570 per year on your utility bills. You also get to keep 160 tons of greenhouse gasses out of the atmosphere, which means that you and your neighbors can breathe again. After all those decades of coal power you could use some good ol’ solar energy right now. Here are a few key points to consider:
- 650 square feet of roof area required
- $9,900-$18715 estimated property value increase
- Estimated utility savings over 25 years of $20,771 to $39,266
CONSENSUS
Hey mountaineers! Your legislature has failed! What? Governor Manchin is worried about coal mine safety? Here’s a thought: retrain those miners to work in a safer industry – the solar power industry. Seriously! Coal mining may be part of the heritage of the state, but clean energy is the future of the planet. If you want to keep the state “Wild and Wonderful,” it’s time to start renewing the West Virginia political scene: vote yes on solar!
Click here to have multiple solar installers bid to upgrade your West Virginia home or business.
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