Delaware

The Green Energy Program actually consists of three separate programs: one for Delmarva Power & Light (DP&L), the state's only investor-owned utility; one for the state's municipal utilities; and one for the Delaware Electric Cooperative (DEC). The investor-owned utility program was established as part of The Electric Utility Restructuring Act of 1999, and is supported under Delaware's public benefits program, the Delmarva Power Green Energy Fund. Under the program, incentives are available for the installation of qualifying photovoltaic (PV), solar water heating, wind turbine, fuel cell, and geothermal heat pump systems. The Fund may also be used to support energy efficiency education programs. The program has recently been revised to allow projects financed using third-party power purchase agreements (PPAs). Grant eligibility and terms for PPA projects are determined by the eligibility of the project owner. Grant reservation request forms and interconnection requirements and forms may be downloaded from the Web site shown above.

Under the investor-owned program, 40% of rebate funding is available for residential customers and 60% of funding is available for non-residential customers, including energy efficiency education programs.* The total of all grants may not exceed 65% of the total annual revenue collected for the Delmarva Power Green Energy Fund. Incentive terms vary by technology, system size and sector as follows:

Solar PV, Wind

• PV system capacity is limited to 50 kilowatts (kW) per installation address (regardless of the number of meters or systems installed at that address). Systems larger than 50 kW do not qualify for an incentive.
• General Incentive: $1.25/W for the first 5 kW of capacity (0-5 kW), $0.75/W for the next 5 kW (5-10 kW), and $0.35/W for the next 40 kW (10-50 kW). The maximum incentive is $15,000 for residential projects and $24,000 for non-residential systems
• Non-profit Incentive: $2.55/W for the first 5 kW of capacity (0-5 kW), $1.50/W for the next 5 kW (5-10 kW), and $0.70/W for the next 40 kW (10-50 kW). The maximum incentive is $48,000 for non-profit systems

Solar Thermal (Domestic Hot Water, Radiant Heat)

• General: $1.00 per annual kWh saved, up to $5,000 for residential systems and $10,000 for non-residential systems.
• Non-profit: $2.00 per annual kWh saved up to $10,000

Geothermal Heat Pumps

• General: $800/ton for first two tons and $700/ton for additional capacity, up to $5,000 for residential and $30,000 for non-residential systems
• Non-profit: $1,000/ton for the first two tons of and $800/ton for additional capacity, up to $30,000.

Fuel Cells

• Incentive levels are currently under review by program administrators. Previously, the incentive was set at 50% of installed costs, up to $22,500 for residential systems and $250,000 for non-residential systems.

All systems must be installed by a participating contractor and carry a full five-year warranty. Beginning December 10, 2010 energy audits will be required for all existing buildings prior to grant approval. In addition, for projects undertaken as part of new construction, the building will have to be Energy Star certified in order to qualify for incentives. For further details on systems that qualify for rebates under this program, see the Green Energy Program Rules.

To be eligible for funding consideration, an Energy Efficiency Information Program must encourage energy efficiency improvements through education, information, or promotion. Proposals may target groups of consumers, using outreach, communications, technical support, or analytical resources. Energy Efficiency Information Programs may include residential or nonresidential customers.


*S.B. 266 signed in July 2010 readjusts this allocation and requires that 60% of the funding support residential programs while 40% goes to non-residential.