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Barrier |
Energy Credit Card Solution |
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High Capital Cost to Customers ♦ Customers must purchase and pay for PV Systems; ♦ Long-term financing not practical because customers may not
stay in property long enough to pay for system and may not recover cost of
system on sale of property. |
No Capital Cost to Customers ♦ Utility Pays Costs; ♦ Low-cost, long term financing available to utility; ♦ Utility will receive long-term benefits because even if
individual customers move, the load being served does not change. |
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High per kWh Costs ♦ PV Systems purchased in small quantities; ♦ High Customer-acquisition costs for installers ♦ High per kWh transaction costs; ♦ AMT limits ability of tax benefits to reduce installed cost. |
Low per kWh Costs ♦ Volume purchases of PV panels lowers cost; ♦ Immediate, low-cost access to large number of utility
customers; ♦ Utility can take advantage of the solar investment tax credit |
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No Incentive for PV Solar to be
Installed at Rental Properties ♦ Renters pay electricity bill and are not resident at property
long enough to receive long-term benefits of PV Solar; ♦ Property owners do not pay electricity bill and, as a result,
have no incentive to pay for installation of PV Solar. |
Incentive for Rental Property Owners
to Have PV Systems Installed ♦ Monies can be credited to the energy credit card account of the
property owner rather than utility customer. |
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Customers cannot monetize RPS or CO2
Offset Value of PV Systems |
Utilities Can Monetize RPS and CO2
Value of PV Systems ♦ As owner of PV System, Utility receives all environmental
attributes, including RPS and CO2 benefits |
Because: Most owners of low-income senior housing are already over-burdened. Taking on the responsibilities surrounding a solar PV system is an unwelcomed challenge. With the Energy Credit Card payment system, the local utility will assume all the responsibilities of installation, operation and maintenance.
Which means: These states are demanding utilities use more renewable energy. For some, utilities are falling behind their schedules. The Energy Credit Card payment system will help utilities hyper-accelerate PV installations to meet and exceed their RPS mandates while saving both their customers and the utility money.
Which means: The Energy Credit Card payment system offers electric utilities a unique and effective approach to help their customers become more aware of their energy usage while providing funds to help them increase the energy efficiency of their building (home or business).
Why does the Energy Credit Card work?
Which means: The Energy Credit Card payment system offers every building owner and their tenants a viable competitive solution to reduce their consumption of fossil fuels and our dependency on fossil fuels.
Which means: The Energy Credit Card can provide low income families and seniors, living on a fixed income, a simple methodology to help them cope with their energy expenses and assist in repairing bad credit or establishing credit.
Because: Under the Energy Credit Card payment system, the property owner and tenants, continue to pay their local electric utility for all the electricity they use. To reduce their consumption, the property owner must improve the energy efficiency of his/her building(s). The money on Energy Credit Card and the discounts at local retailers, make those improvements affordable.
Because: The Energy Credit Card payment system allows for the installation of the largest solar PV system possible for anyone connected to the grid. The "rent" money paid to the property owner (and tenants if applicable) helps pay for energy efficiency improvements which will reduce the building's energy consumption and expenses.
Government Regulations and Mandates
Personal Finance
Barriers Removed
An RPS is a very complex set of mandates (summarized on map at right) set into law by more than 30 states. Fundamentally, it demands the electric utilities in that particular state to install renewables including PV solar.
Some states (and cities like San Francisco) are giving incentives to install solar PV to help meet these mandates.
Energy Efficiency
States are demanding that utilities must reach out to all their customers and teach them about energy efficiency and how to reduce their energy consumption. (A task easier said than done)
The cost of all your energies
The price of energy and where it's headed pushes every consumers to face so much uncertainty when making ends meet.
Senior Citizens on Fixed Income & Low-Income Families
Many states provide incentives to assist building owners to install solar PV systems. These incentives do very little to encourage owners of rental property to install solar PV systems. This effects primarily low-income families and fixed income seniors.
In October 2008, the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act was signed into law. This package includes an 8-year extension of the solar investment tax credit...and now allows utilities to take advantage of the 30% tax credit.
Which means: Owning solar PV systems can now be profitable for your local electric utility. It is also important to remember that energy efficiency is the most abundant energy resource. The Energy Credit Card payment system will save electric utilities money by hyper-accelerating the installation of utility owned solar PV systems while at the same time it will help promote energy efficiency.
This page last modified on Saturday, December 19, 2009
