Solar power in Alabama
Solar power in Alabama on rooftops can provide 29.8% of all electricity used in Alabama, with 20,400 MW of solar panels.[1]
Offering net metering is required by federal law, but Alabama is one of only four states to not have adopted a statewide policy on net metering, which means it needs to be negotiated with the utility.[2] IREC best practices, based on experience, recommends no limits to net metering, individual or aggregate, and perpetual roll over of kWh credits.[3]
Alabama Power has installed four types of solar panels in Birmingham that can be monitored on the Internet.[4] The company will pay up to 4.81¢/kWh during the summer and 3.93¢/kWh in the winter for excess generation from up to 100 kW systems.[5] Peak power rates are weekdays, 1 to 7 pm in summer and 5 to 9 am in winter.[6] Customers choosing the Time Advantage Energy rate pay 7¢/kWh during winter peak periods and 25¢/kWh during summer peak periods. Off peak is charged 5¢/kWh. Using time advantage requires a time of use meter, and the base charge is increased by $10.50 each month.[7]
In 2010, one of Alabama's largest solar arrays was the 25 kW system installed at the Coastal Response Center, in Coden, Alabama.[8][9] A $250,000 economic stimulus grant was used to install 156 solar panels on Anniston's Museum of Natural History, which was completed on August 24, 2011.[10] The output of this 25.2 kW system can also be monitored online.[11]
Statistics
|
| Year | Capacity | Installed | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 100% |
| 2010 | 0.4 | 0.2 | 100% |
| 2011 | 0.5 | 0.1 | 20% |
| 2012 | 1.1 | 0.6 | 120% |
| 2013 | 1.9 | 0.8 | 73% |
| 2014 | 1.9 | 0 | 0% |
| 2015 | 2.0 | 0.1 | 5% |
See also
References
- ↑ Rooftop Solar Photovoltaic Technical Potential in the United States
- ↑ Freeing the grid
- ↑ Net Metering and Interconnection Procedures Incorporating Best Practices
- ↑ Solar demonstration
- ↑ Purchase of Alternate Energy
- ↑ Time Advantage Rates FAQs
- ↑ Time Advantage Rate
- ↑ Community center now home to one of Alabama’s largest solar power systems
- ↑ Realtime output
- ↑ Alabama Focus on Solar Energy
- ↑ Anniston Museum Energy and Power
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- ↑ Alabama Solar
