FPL to Offer Solar Energy Rebates Through New Pilot Program

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May 31, 2011, 03:00 ET

JUNO BEACH, Fla., May 31, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Florida Power & Light Company customers who are interested in installing solar-powered upgrades to their homes and businesses can apply for rebates starting June 21 through a new pilot program approved by the Florida Public Service Commission.

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Rebates will be available on a first-come, first-served basis for residential and business customers who install solar water heating or solar photovoltaic (PV) panels in 2011. The program is designed to help reduce energy consumption and peak demand.

"While the funding is limited, this new pilot program will help make individual investments in distributed, small-scale solar power more affordable for more customers," said Marlene Santos, FPL's vice president of customer service.

Approximately 1,100 of FPL's 4.5 million customer accounts currently operate their own solar generation. FPL expects the funding cap for new solar PV rebates to be reached quickly due to growing interest in distributed solar generation.

Interested customers should begin exploring options as soon as possible to ensure that they have time to identify a contractor and gather the required information before the application period opens on June 21. Program details and application checklists are available now at www.FPL.com/solarrebates.

Residential Solar Water Heating – FPL's residential solar water heating program will provide $1,000 per installed solar water heater. A solar water heater can cut a family's water heating costs by up to 85 percent, according to the Florida Solar Energy Center (FSEC). FPL estimates rebates will be available for about 4,500 customers depending on the size of the systems installed.

Business Solar Water Heating – Business customers will be eligible for a variable rebate based on the size of the system installed that will equal $30 per 1,000 BTUh/day of the maximum rated output of the installed system. The maximum incentive during the life of the program is $50,000 per site. Businesses with multiple locations can receive a maximum combined rebate of up to $150,000 per funding year. FPL estimates rebates will be available for about 50 customers depending on the size of the systems installed.

Residential Solar PV – The residential solar PV program will provide an incentive of $2,000 per kW of the rated direct-current (DC) output of a PV system up to a maximum of $20,000. FPL estimates rebates will be available for about 400 customers depending on the size of the systems installed.

Business Solar PV – The business PV program will provide a variable incentive depending on the output of the system. The rebate will be up to $50,000 per site during the life of the program and will be calculated as: $2 per DC watt nameplate rating of the solar panel up to the first 10 kW; $1.50 per DC watt nameplate rating of the solar panel from 10 kW up to 25 kW and $1 per DC watt nameplate rating of the solar panel greater than 25 kW. Businesses with multiple locations can receive a maximum combined rebate of up to $150,000 per funding year. FPL estimates rebates will be available for about 80 customers depending on the size of the systems installed.

FPL will also connect the customers' solar PV systems to the electric grid through its net-metering program, which allows customers to receive a credit for the electricity they produce but don't use. For more details, visit www.FPL.com/netmetering.

These new solar incentives are part of FPL's expansive energy-efficiency program for customers. FPL ranks No. 2 among electric utilities nationwide in electric generation avoided through demand-side management programs, according to the latest U.S. Department of Energy data.

"Because of our partnership with customers, FPL has saved more megawatts than nearly any other utility in the country. These efforts have allowed FPL to avoid building 13 medium-sized power plants since 1980," Santos said.

In addition to the residential and business customer rebate programs, FPL is partnering with not-for-profit organizations to install solar water heaters in new construction for low-income families. FPL also plans to expand a successful energy-producing, educational program that has installed 10 solar PV arrays at schools and other educational facilities within the company's service territory. Through this pilot program, FPL plans to install at least one Next Generation Solar Education Station in 28 school districts throughout Florida.

NOTE: FPL does not endorse or recommend any individual installers for any of its programs, nor does FPL bear any responsibility for the quality or performance of any products or contractors chosen or hired by the customer. Customers should choose products and contractors carefully, given the many variables involved. The decision to select, hire and the management of the contractor that will install the eligible products is the customer's sole responsibility. FPL bears no responsibility for the quality or performance of any products or contractors chosen by the customer. There are many installers in Florida with varying levels of capability and experience. Customers should check to make sure the work performed by a contractor meets all applicable licensing and building code requirements.

Florida Power & Light Company

Florida Power & Light Company is the largest electric utility in Florida and one of the largest rate-regulated utilities in the United States. FPL serves 4.5 million customer accounts in Florida and is a leading employer in the state with approximately 10,000 employees. The company consistently outperforms national averages for service reliability while customer bills are below the national average. A clean energy leader, FPL has one of the lowest emissions profiles and one of the leading energy efficiency programs among utilities nationwide. FPL is a subsidiary of Juno Beach, Fla.-based NextEra Energy, Inc. (NYSE: NEE). For more information, visit www.FPL.com

SOURCE Florida Power & Light Company