Energy.gov

'''''As of April 8, 2011, this program is on hold and new applications are not being accepted at this time. Check website above for the most recent information. '''''

The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power's (LADWP) Solar Incentive Program began in 2000, with a funding level of $150 million. The California Solar Initiative, created in 2007 upon the enactment of SB 1, established new guidelines for municipal utilities to follow, and established new funding levels. The LADWP Board of Commissioners approved the Solar Incentive Program Guideline Revisions on September 4, 2007, to comply with SB1. The revised program, effective October 1, 2007, provides rebates to residential, commercial, non-profit and governmental customers of LADWP based on a photovoltaic (PV) system's expected performance in kilowatt hours (kWh) rather than the system's capacity. The expected performance is determined by using the National Renewable Energy Laboratory's PVWatts Version 2 Program. The incentive is paid up-front on a per-kWh-basis for the estimated production over 20 years.

The Solar Incentive Program has 10 phases with declining incentive levels as certain installed megawatt (MW) targets are met. There are separate goals for residential and non-residential participants, and the incentive levels for each will decline irrespective of the other. All incentives are adjusted for expected performance. Bonus incentives of $0.02 per kilowatt-hour are available if the installed system was manufactured in Los Angeles or if the system is a building integrated photovoltaic system (BIPV). Incentive levels will decrease by one cent ($0.01) every time a MW goal is reached. As of February 18, 2011, the program funding allocated for fiscal year 2010/2011 was fully exhausted, and the program was temporarily suspended. LADWP continued accepting reservation requests, but stopped accepting them on April 8, 2011.

Applications for the Revised Solar Incentive Program are only accepted via U.S. Post Office regular delivery; U.S. postmarks will be noted for solar rebate reservations. No other form of submission will be accepted. The LADWP anticipates that the program will remain open to applications continuously and that all qualifying customers that submit an application will be served.

LADWP’s 10-year, $313 million Revised Solar Photovoltaic Rebate Program began in 2007 and will remain in effect through December 31, 2017, or until the total installed MW goal has been reached.