from Eric in Madison, WI:
#286
Some neighbors whose houses are poor candidates for PV would like to do a solar co-operative -- everyone buys in, and then the energy is sold back to the utility under their buyback program. Would that qualify for Focus and federal tax subsides?
Maybe! You’ll need to do a little research.
If the solar electric (PV) system meets our requirements, Focus on Energy would fund it. Please see our Solar Electric Cash-Back Reward Application for full system requirements and also terms and conditions. If a cooperative owns a solar electric system and there are many owners of the cooperative, it could be funded by Focus on Energy. The cooperative would need to purchase electricity from a participating provider and the system must be installed on a site whose owner purchases electricity from an electric provider participating with Focus on Energy.
As far as Federal incentives, that is a question for a tax account that knows renewable energy financing. It can be difficult to pass federal tax incentives to passive owners filing residential tax returns. This can be done more easily by a condominium association as there are special IRS rules in place. Please consult your tax professional for guidance.
The project developer should talk to the electric provider at the site of the solar electric system about their plans before starting the project to determine what rate they would qualify for and the details of utility interconnection.
Happy researching!