Line up an Installer NOW to Cash in on May 3 Solar Rebates in Florida

Florida Power and Light (FPL) is reopening the application period for solar rebates on May 3, but interested customers must act quickly as the first-come, first-serve funding is expected to run out almost immediately.

FPL is offering up to $20,000 in rebates for solar electric systems (PV) and $1,000 for solar water heaters.

Florida Power and Light customers should act quickly to
take advantage of solar rebates on offer May 3, 2012.

Although the solar water heating rebates are smaller, solar thermal technology is less expensive than PV systems and customers will reap savings immediately. According to the Florida Solar Energy Center, a solar water heater can cut a family's water heating costs by up to 85 percent.

As part of a five-year pilot program authorized by the Florida Public Service Commission, FPL is offering $1,000 for every new residential solar water heater. The rebate is available to all existing FPL residential customers with electric or gas water heating.

The Residential Solar Water Heating Rebate is for solar thermal collectors, pumps, mounting hardware and water storage tanks. All systems must be approved and certified by the Florida Solar Energy Center (FSEC) and have an FSEC system certification number. There is no minimum or maximum size limit. This program is for domestic water heating only. Solar pool heaters do not qualify. All products installed must be new, not refurbished or previously installed. 

Under the same pilot program, solar electric systems can qualify for$2 per watt of DC output of a PV system, up to $20,000.

The rebates are not available for new construction or PV systems that are already installed. Applicants must be current account holders of the premise where the solar photovoltaic system is being installed. 

The Residential PV rebate is for solar electric panels, mounting hardware, grid-interactive electric inverter(s), optional battery systems, associated cabling, and for systems over 10 kilowatt AC, disconnect devices. This rebate program is only for grid-interactive PV systems with a minimum nameplate rating of 2 kilowatts direct current (DC) and a maximum nameplate rating of 2 megawatts. All components must be tested and listed by a nationally recognized testing and certification laboratory for continuous interactive operation with an electric distribution system in compliance with the applicable codes and standards of IEEE 1547, IEEE 1547.1, and UL 1741. All products installed must be new, not refurbished or previously installed.

UMA Solar distributes Solene solar hot water systems and Heliolectric solar electric systems, both of which qualify for the FPL rebate as well as federal incentives. To find a solar contractor qualified to install these systems in your area, visit the Solene and Heliolectric websites.