Columbia Water & Light - Solar Rebates

Columbia Water & Light (CWL) offers rebates to its commercial and residential customers for the purchase of solar water heaters and solar photovoltaic systems. These rebates are available for solar water heaters that were installed after April 2007, and for solar photovoltaic systems that were installed after June 2007. Following installation of any of these efficiency measures, applicable building or plumbing permits should be secured.

Columbia Water & Light electric customers are eligible for a $400 rebate for the purchase of a new solar water heater. To apply for this rebate, a customer submits a pre-approval application to Columbia Water & Light prior to installation and commits to maintaining the system for at least five years. The application can be found on the program website listed above. Customers with an existing natural gas water heater are eligible for an $800 rebate if they convert to a solar electric water heating system.

Customers are eligible for a rebate for installing solar photovoltaic systems. The first 10 kW of a system will earn a rebate of $375-625/kW. Additional kWs between 10 and 50 kW will earn a rebate of $300-500/kW. And additional kWs between 50 and 100 kW will earn a rebate of $150-250/kW. Pre-project approval is required in order for a system to be eligible for a rebate. Systems must must meet a variety of interconnection, net metering, and rebate requirements. All attributes associated with the production of energy from the system accrue to the CWL under the utility's net metering agreement. Federal tax credits are applicable on top of these incentives.

CWL also offers an additional peak time premium rebate for systems designed to perform best during peak periods. The rebate is based on azimuth, tilt, and shading. Customers can consult with a contractor from CWL's contractor network in order to determine cost and rebate estimates.