Pennsylvania hands out 1,000th rebate under $100m solar program

June 3, 2010

The State of Pennsylvania has given out its 1,000th rebate under its PA Sunshine Solar Rebate Program just over a year after the scheme began.

The 1,000th check was presented by the state’s Department of Environmental Protection Secretary John Hanger to Montgomery County resident Sally Kauffman yesterday.

The $10,800 rebate is going to support a 4.8-kilowatt system, forecast to save Ms Kauffman $800 a year in energy costs by generating 5,500 kilowatt-hours of renewable energy a year.

Mr Hangar said: “The PA Sunshine Program that began just over a year ago has created tremendous results and a number of opportunities for our economy and environment.”

“Not only has the program helped to lower the price of solar energy here in Pennsylvania, but it also provides clean energy at a fixed price to our businesses and homeowners for the next 25 years.”

PA Sunshine

Pennsylvania has added about 10 megawatts of installed solar capacity in just over a year under the $100 million PA Sunshire program, through more than 790 residential solar power systems and 137 solar thermal projects.

A further 895 solar projects have been approved for construction.

Among the state’s small businesses, 108 solar electric and 10 solar thermal projects have been completed, with another 318 projects on the way.

So far $72 million in rebates have been handed out to fund a total of 2,300 installed or planned projects.

“In addition to creating hundreds of new jobs, these projects will be responsible for infusing more than $252 million of private matching funds into Pennsylvania’s economy when completed,” said Mr Hanger.

Ms Kaufman’s system was installed by Mercury Solar Systems of Philadelphia, one of more than 500 approved solar installers in the state.

The company has installed more than 50 solar projects in the past 12 months, expanding its workforce from three to 15 thanks to demand for solar power.