West Virginia Solar Power Rebates, Tax Credits, and Incentives

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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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9 comments.

Carla
Comment on May 8th, 2008.

Back in 2005, before WV even had net meetering, I was told that WV didn’t offer any incentives for renewable energy to homeowners because “electricity is so cheap here” Figure in the health costs of the residents, and the environmental damage, and just how cheap is it?

Thanks for the reminder that I need to call the govenor and state senators about this again.

Wayne
Comment on June 23rd, 2008.

WOW! Second thoughts on retireing in Charleston. I was raised in Charleston and attended WVU before moving to New York City. After 20+ yrs I know that I don’t want to retire here, so I bought a house in Charlestons South Hills with the expectation of moving back home. I am having second thoughts about this now that I now know that WV is sooo far behind the rest of the country with solar energy. I will go solar on my retirement home, just hope that your legislature stops pandering to BIG COAL and starts to catch up with the rest of the WORLD. Time to get into the 21st century. Alternative fuel guys.

Taron
Comment on November 17th, 2008.

wow hey this is taron….and i love to hobnob with the bigwigs in west virginia I go there every weekend with my maid Karla. She wears skimpy maid outfits for me

Unnamed
Comment on February 11th, 2009.

I have watched WV slide into the oblivion of being owned by everyone but the people. Let’s face it the states use was over with the Civil War. I have lived here all my life and was impressed we had cable internet as soon as we did, but AEP and coal companies are allowed to run amuck here. Kentucky isn’t much better. They the AK Steel company do whatever they want with H2S releases and other horrible gases that will literally peel the paint off your car. This area is doomed because the people here vote by party not by the best man for the job. Ceredo, WV has had the same mayor for 35+ years which mocks what our country’s system of government was meant to do. so it is no surprise to me to see chemical valley behind the world with solar or any other power. Hell the state wouldn’t protect the miners and had most of them shot for not working way back before the unions. So yeah this place sucks.

Jason Legg
Comment on February 14th, 2009.

If there is any like minded people that are even remotely interested in constructing or building solar, wind power, or overunity generators in or around Huntington, WV. Leave me an E-mail (legg.jason@yahoo.com
Lets start something here, anything!!!

Karen Lyvers
Comment on March 4th, 2009.

I am very intrested in retrofitting my home to solar power. I am very intrested in clean power sources. I also would love to get this country off foreign oil. why make them rich,when they hate and want to kill us. I need help with financing.

chris
Comment on May 10th, 2009.

I’ve lived in WV since 1981 and would love to install a solar and water electric power generation system on my farm. But like most, financing seems to be an issue even with the available Federal Tax Credit. It would be great if the State of WV would help on offsetting the cost with something that would benefit everyone. If anyone has any input, please feel free to email me.

Comment on May 28th, 2009.

I just learned yesterday that West Virginia will be enacting a 20+% additional tax credit for solar installations. Should happen soon.

Comment on May 31st, 2009.

Chris, with a Farm you probably qualify for a USDA Grant, that combined with the Federal Tax Credit makes Solar or Wind very much within your reach…. even in West Virginia. We are quoting a number of these in the state right now.

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