Solar Support Rebate Program

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    Burbank Water and Power's Solar Support Rebate Program

    How BWP’s Solar Support Rebate (SSR) Program Works

    Due to the overwhelming success of the BWP solar support rebate program and budgetary restrictions, levels have been reduced to Step 4 of the schedule with approximately 2,300 kW of capacity remaining before we anticipate advancing to Step 5.  

    BWP's Performance Based Incentive (PBI) budget has been consumed.  Therefore, support of solar installations over 30 kW have been suspended.  Funds are expected to be available in 2013.

    The BWP Solar Support Rebate (SSR) program and Senate Bill 1 (SB1)

    Since 2001 Burbank Water and Power has maintained a Solar Support Rebate (SSR) program to help Burbank's residents and businesses support photovoltaic energy. Any BWP residential or commercial electric customer is eligible to participate in this program. Through the SSR program, BWP issues a rebate, designed to offset a portion of the purchase price or the lease price of solar photovoltaic (PV) systems. BWP does not recommend equipment or contractors, nor do we design, evaluate, sell, install or remove PV equipment. Solar thermal systems, those that heat water, are not eligible for the program.

    In March 2008 the Burbank City Council approved significant changes to the SSR program in order to make BWP’s SSR program compliant with the requirements of Senate Bill 1 (SB1). SB1 seeks to encourage the installation of 3,000 megawatts (MW) of photovoltaic solar energy in California by December 31, 2016. Burbank’s pro-rated portion of this state goal is 15 MW. Among other things, SB1 requires that monetary incentives for the installation of solar energy systems decline by an average of at least 7% per year until they are zero by the end of 2016.

    Key Elements of BWP’s Updated Solar Support Rebate (SSR)

    Provides a Residential two-tier solar incentive program that differentiates between the customer keeping the Renewable Energy Credits (RECs) and assigning the system’s Renewable Energy Credits (RECs) to the City of Burbank. In tier one and two the SSR incentive cannot exceed 50% of the installed cost.
    With commercial incentives there is a third tier that provides higher incentives for K-12 schools (both public and private), affordable housing, and non-profit organizations. The maximum incentive in this third tier is not to exceed 75% of total installed costs. To qualify for this special incentive, applicants must complete all cost-effective energy-efficiency measures to the facility prior to installation of the solar system. There is a limit of one project annually for each of the three customer types listed at this top funding level. Renewable Energy Credits generated by these solar projects will be assigned to the City of Burbank.

    The SSR incentive amount will decline over time such that by January 1, 2017 the incentives are no longer provided. BWP’s incentives decline not on a yearly basis but rather by capacity of solar installed in Burbank, as show in Table 1, below.

    Table 1: BWP’s Solar Capacity Steps

    Notice!! Please check the solar home page for up-to-date information of current BWP solar incentive levels. That page will be updated when the incentive levels change.

     

    Capacity Step %

    kWs AC Capacity to Get to Next Step

    Step 1

    6.7%

    1,005

    Step 2

    5.5%

    825

    Step 3

    7.2%

    1,080

    Step 4

    8.9%

    1,335

    Step 5

    10.6%

    1,590

    Step 6

    12.0%

    1,800

    Step 7

    13.9%

    2,085

    Step 8

    15.8%

    2,370

    Step 9

    19.4%

    2,910

     

    100.0%

    15,000

    In all cases, except as otherwise specified, solar incentives are not to exceed 50% of total installed costs. In the unlikely event that the 50% limit resulted in a rebate that was less than the CSI incentive amount for like customers during the same time period, BWP will match the CSI amount.

    All solar installations applying for the SSR must meet all City of Burbank and California Energy Commission (CEC) Guideline requirements (permitting, equipment, warranty, signage, etc.).

    All customers applying for a Burbank Water and Power solar incentive are required to first conduct an energy-efficiency audit of the building where the solar system would be installed. Residential customers can utilize BWP’s free online Home Energy Analyzer or the Green Home House Call service for this purpose. A copy of the final recommendations page(s) must be signed by the customer and submitted as part of the application package. Eligible business customers with annual electric usage below 250,000 kWh can receive a free facility energy audit through BWP’s Business Bucks Program. Larger customers will be required to hire an independent third party to perform an energy audit and provide a copy of the audit recommendations to BWP prior to payment of the rebate.

    To qualify for participation in BWP’s Solar Support Program, newly constructed residential and commercial buildings must achieve at least a 15% reduction in the building’s combined space heating, space cooling and water heating energy compared to the 2008 Title 24 Standards. Lighting is also included in this comparison for commercial buildings. Additionally, each appliance and any equipment provided by the builder shall be Energy Star™ labeled if this designation is applicable for that appliance or equipment. For details on meeting these new construction efficiency requirements please read Chapter 5 of the CEC Guidelines for California’s Solar Electric Incentive Programs (Senate Bill 1) Second Edition.

    Incentives for all solar systems will be calculated on a system performance basis. For solar systems up to 30 kilowatts in maximum AC capacity, expected system performance is calculated and the rebate determined by the PowerClerk rebate application software. Note that the rebate application software PowerClerk can only be accessed by a registered solar installer.

    This lump sum incentive payment will be made once the system has met all the requirements and received final City and utility approval. The expected system performance calculation can also be estimated using the Clean Power Estimator.

    Rebates for Residential Solar Installations

    Residential customers installing solar photovoltaic systems of less than 30 kilowatts have the option of selecting either the lump sum payment calculated using Table 2 or receiving incentives paid out over the first five (5) years of the system’s life, paid on a per kilowatt-hour generated basis, as shown in Table 3.

    Table 2: Residential Solar Support Rebate for Single Payment Incentives,
    Based on Estimated Kilowatt Production in PowerClerk

     

    Tier 1: Customer Keeps RECs

    Tier 2:
    BWP Keeps RECs

    Step 1

    $3.00

    $3.50

    Step 2

    $2.64

    $3.14

    Step 3

    $2.28

    $2.78

    Step 4

    $1.86

    $2.36

    Step 5

    $1.32

    $1.82

    Step 6

    $0.78

    $1.28

    Step 7

    $0.42

    $0.92

    Step 8

    $0.30

    $0.80

    Step 9

    $0.24

    $0.74

    Table 3: Residential Solar Support Rebates for Incentives Paid Over Five Years - Based on Actual Kilowatt-Hour Production from the Performance Meter

     

    Tier 1: Customer Keeps RECs

    Tier 2:
    BWP Keeps RECs

    Step 1

    $0.414

    $0.483

    Step 2

    $0.364

    $0.464

    Step 3

    $0.315

    $0.415

    Step 4

    $0.257

    $0.357

    Step 5

    $0.182

    $0.282

    Step 6

    $0.108

    $0.208

    Step 7

    $0.058

    $0.158

    Step 8

    $0.041

    $0.141

    Step 9

    $0.033

    $0.133

    Rebates for Commercial Solar Installations

    Commercial customers installing solar photovoltaic systems of less than 30 kilowatts AC use Table 4 below. For Commercial installations over 30 kilowatt CEC AC, rebates are suspended as of February 25, 2011 until August 1, 2013.

    Table 4: Commercial Solar Support Rebate for Single Payment Incentives (less than 30 kW AC) - Based on Estimated Kilowatt Production in PowerClerk

     

    Tier 1: Customer Keeps RECs

    Tier 2:
    BWP Keeps
    RECs

    Tier 3: Schools, Affordable Housing, Non-Profits

    Step 1

    $2.23

    $2.60

    $2.97

    Step 2

    $2.09

    $2.33

    $2.67

    Step 3

    $1.83

    $2.07

    $2.36

    Step 4

    $1.49

    $1.75

    $2.00

    Step 5

    $1.04

    $1.35

    $1.55

    Step 6

    $0.67

    $0.95

    $1.09

    Step 7

    $0.49

    $0.68

    $0.78

    Step 8

    $0.52

    $0.59

    $0.68

    Step 9

    $0.51

    $0.55

    $0.63