Arizona Public Service (APS) is the largest electric utility in Arizona, serving nearly a million customers. APS has launched a pilot project to install, own, operate, and maintain solar panels on customer rooftops at no upfront cost to qualified customers.
Making your own solar and wind power for less than $200
- Eligible customers must be served by a specific part of the APS distribution system.
- The customer’s home must meet technical requirements such as roof direction, building age, and structural integrity.
- An on-site assessment of the home will verify engineering and eligibility requirements.
- Customers will sign an easement, allowing APS access for installation and maintenance.
- After installation is complete the customer will be eligible to receive a reduced rate for the power generated on their rooftop.
Making your own solar and wind power for less than $200
Community Power programs are based on the same concept as Energy Service Companies (ESCOs) where an independent company “rents” rooftop space on commercial buildings, installs a renewable energy system, and sells the power back to the building owner. ESCOs typically split their profits with the building owner through revenue sharing agreements. Due to the capital-intensive nature of renewable energy investments, this approach to energy service provisioning will play a larger role in our future.
Even as renewable energy costs decline, new systems still require a large upfront investment. Let’s face it, most people don’t have the needed $10,000-$15,000 to prepay their electric bill for 30 years. Credit markets remain tight and few loans are available. The homeowners who do have cash might not have the optimal south-facing pitch.
Making your own solar and wind power for less than $200
Comments on this entry are closed.