By TIM FAULKNER/ecoRI News staff
PROVIDENCE — Solar power in Rhode Island is expanding, the cost
to subsidize it is going down and new initiatives are planned to keep it
growing.
Shortly before the Rhode Island Commerce Corporation (Commerce
RI) announced its new community-focused marketing plan to increase residential solar panel projects, the
business development board approved $314,210 for new solar installations, one
of its largest payouts for its small-scale solar program.
In all, nine installers building 44 solar projects received
funds:
- $19,450 for two arrays, Sol Power of Providence
- $103,625 for 14 arrays, RGS Energy of East Providence
- $9,800 for one array, Newport Renewables of Newport
- $4,125 for one array, Weisman Roofing of Warwick
- $17,087 for two arrays, Got Sun-Go Solar of Seekonk, Mass.
- $10,000 for one array, Rexel Energy Solutions of Taunton, Mass.
- $14,725 for two arrays, BCX Energy of Providence
- $116,180 for 18 residential arrays, Newport Solar of Newport
- $19,218 for two photovoltaic arrays and one residential solar hot-water system, US Solar Works of Attleboro, Mass.
The solar projects will be built in Westerly, Rockville,
Charlestown, Narragansett, Kingston, Jamestown, North Kingstown, Little
Compton, Portsmouth, Middletown, Bristol, Barrington, East Providence,
Cranston, Providence, Smithfield, North Providence, Lincoln, North Scituate and
Foster.
“We’re seeing more and more towns participate in this in every
round,” said Hannah Morini, renewable-energy program manager for the
state Renewable
Energy Fund (REF).
Three of the installers are new to the REF's small-scale solar
program, which offers up to $10,000 per project. The latest payouts from
the REF covered between 19 percent and 54 percent of a project’s cost. A
federal tax credit of 30 percent is also available.
Morini said participation in the program has increased this year
because the fund’s rules no longer require a minimum of three solar projects
per installer. Block Island and residents in the Pascoag Utility District also
received approval to participate in the program this year.
The latest round of solar projects combine for 266 kilowatts of
electric capacity. That previous round of funding supported 30 solar projects
with 129 kilowatts of electric capacity. The cost per kilowatt for theses
projects indicates that prices are dropping. The latest round of funding paid
$4.46 per kilowatt across all of the projects.
“It under five dollars. It’s moving down, which is good,” Morini
said.
The REF is funded through a charge on electricity bills and
compliance payments made by power plants. The fund has a balance of about $8
million. At least one more round of funding will be issued in 2014.
Since the program started in 2013, the number of solar projects
has grown steadily and is expected to climb after a new public marketing
campaign launches this fall. A new renewable-energy installer certification
program also rolls out this fall. The professional designation is expected to
help renewable-energy installers build projects more efficiently.
Commerce RI is expected to vote this month on a new green
technology venture capital fund, managed by the state-financed Slater Technology
Fund. The new fund will invest in new
Rhode Island-based companies that focus on renewable energy, energy storage and
energy efficiency. The new venture capital fund is seeking $3 million from the
REF.