Renewable energy incentives under review

By Cy Ryan

Wednesday, Feb. 22, 2012 | 3:49 p.m.

CARSON CITY — NV Energy customers have received $48.8 million in incentive payments for installing solar energy systems, and the utility is obligated to pay another $11.1 million for upcoming projects in Southern Nevada, company officials said.

But NV Energy has paid only $47,000 in incentives to those who have built wind energy projects in Southern Nevada, compared to $9.1 million in Northern Nevada, officials told the state Public Utility Commission today.

John Hargrove, program manager for NV Energy, said there have been 100 wind projects, with 94 of them in Northern Nevada.

Sierra Pacific Co. of Reno, meanwhile, has paid $56.8 million in incentive payment for solar projects.

NV Energy and Sierra Pacific Power Co. both have budgets of $78.2 million to encourage solar development from July 2010 to July 2013.

The PUC has received a grant and hired a consultant to study the financial incentive to be given per watt or for a different payment system for the solar projects.

The proposed incentive is $1.35 per watt for residential electric and $3.70 per watt for schools and public buildings. The present rate is $1.70 per watt for homes and $4.70 for schools and public building.

Commissioner Rebecca Wagner said the PUC received a grant to hire a consultant to study the incentive program and it should be completed in May.

A home owner or a public entity can submit a request to the utility for the incentive rebate.

One letter to the PUC came from Daniel Klein of Radco Electric of Las Vegas, urging the program be continued and not diminished, as suggested by a preliminary order of the commission.

Klein said he applied for 37 solar incentives for homes and business but was denied by NV Energy.

“It’s obvious the people in Nevada want solar, but they need the incentive to cover the cost of installing it.

“None of the private schools or churches we represent can afford to install solar without the incentives at the current published allowable levels,” Klein said.