Tag Archives: rebate

Energy efficiency rebates, Austin, Texas

The central city of a major MSA, Austin, Texas, publishes its own video reporting on local issues, like this one on local energy efficiency.

AustinEnergy has brought back its best offer ever deal, which allows customers to receive both rebates and a loan to make energy efficiency improvements. The rebates can total as much as $3200, and can cover as much as a third of the cost of the improvements, including the air conditioning unit. Remaining costs after the rebates can be financed through a low interest loan through the Austin Credit Union.

The best offer ever is financed in part by a $10 million better buildings grant from the U.S. Department of Energy….

Here’s the video:

Continue reading →

Georgia clean energy tax credits: yes, they are available

Inquiring minds want to know if Georgia still has its energy rebate program. The answer is yes.

The usual place to look for state tax incentives is DSIRETM (Database of State Incentives for Renewables & Efficiency). That database shows for Georgia not only state financial incentives but also a local loan program for Athens-Clarke County and a local rebate program for Atlanta. There’s a thought! Valdosta or Lowndes County could do a loan program for real clean renewable energy! or the Valdosta-Lowndes County Industrial Authority (VLCIA) could do that using some of its $15 million in bonds and other debt, assuming it hasn’t already spent all of it on locking up land.

Or Georgia Power or Colquitt Electric could do that, Continue reading →

J.R. Ewing (OK, Larry Hagman) Goes Solar

Larry Hagman, most famous for playing Texas oilman JR Ewing, has gone solar. He says the east coast blackout of 2003 made him think of the fragility of the grid, so he installed enough solar panels and inverters to power his rather large estate:

He spent about $750,000 and got about $300,000 back in rebates. With the current Georgia 35% rebate and the federal 30% rebate on renewable energy installation, an investment of that amount could get back around $487,500 in rebates. Of course, the average home solar installation isn’t nearly that big, more like $15,000, with something like $9,750 rebate, or around $5,250 net.

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Solar Power and Georgia Power

As we’ve seen, the Center of Innovation – Energy defines solar as a southwestern energy source (see slide 9). That slide uses a version of this map:

I found that map on Georgia Power’s web pages. Meanwhile, here are Georgia Power Solar Projects. Hm, “a rooftop solar demonstration program”, “plans to install solar panels at schools in each of the company’s regions”, “showcase its technology”. Where’s the actual rapid deployment?

Meanwhile, Texas almost doubled its renewable energy generation between 2004 and 2006 and hasn’t stopped since. Continue reading →