Solar Panels Cost $6.4k-$14k in Sussex County, DE | November, 2024

Delaware's Green Energy Fund was created alongside the state's renewable portfolio standard in 1999. Electric utilities in the state may contribute to the fund or establish their own similar fund in lieu of participating in the RPS; the current required contribution is $0.178 per megawatt hour sold in or transmitted through Delaware. Contributions to the Green Energy Fund support research in and procurement of energy efficiency solutions. Delaware also has energy public benefits funds supported by state utilities. Around $2.6 million per year from the fund supports energy efficiency and renewable energy adoption programs, with $800,000 per year supporting programs targeted at low-income customers. Additional information can be found on Delmarva Power's website as they are the most significant contributor to each fund.

DEMEC, an alliance of nine local utilities in Delaware, elected to create their own Green Energy Funds in lieu of participating in the state fund or renewable portfolio standard. Each of the cities of Dover, Newark, Middletown, New Castle, Smyrna, Seaford, Clayton, Milford, and Lewes has an individual fund supported by a tariff on customer energy bills. In Dover, Milford, and Newark, funding currently supports a variety of incentive programs for renewable energy adoption. Central DEMEC policies dictate that cities cannot access other local funds. Incentive programs or other initiatives may therefore have stricter financial or practical limitations through the fiscal year. Additional information is available on the DEMEC website.

Utilities in the state of Delaware participate in net metering arrangements with their distributed renewable energy customers. Most solar PV, wind, hydroelectric, or fuel cell system qualifies, as well as some electric vehicles sending energy back to the grid. Capacity limits for residential customers are 25 kW; for farms, 100 kW; for non-residential DEC/municipal customers, 500 kW; and for non-residential Delmarva customers, 2 MW. Participating customers agree to sell their net excess generation (NEG) back to the utility. They may choose to be paid an annual lump sum or receive regular bill credits at a variable rate. Under the monthly option, should generation exceed consumption for a cycle, the NEG credits will carry over to the next one. Any unclaimed credits will be paid directly to the customer at the end of the year. "Virtual net metering" arrangements are intended for customers using a community renewable microgrid. The utility will compensate subscribers for combined NEG at a wholesale rate. Additional information is available from the DEPSC website.

Any Delaware resident with a solar PV system that commenced operation after August 2014 may be entitled to sell their renewable credits to the Sustainable Energy Utility if they are not already under such an arrangement. The purchase program is a part of Delaware's "open auction" for SRECs and operates in spot markets. Participants will agree to a 20-year contract in which the state will reimburse them $55 per credit. Each SREC is equal to about one megawatt hour of energy. Certain new PV systems may qualify to enter a contract if they were constructed through the Green Grant Delaware program. Additional information is available from the program website.

Beginning with S.B. 74, the state of Delaware has established a Renewable Portfolio Standard for itself. The standard has been renewed and expanded each time it was set to expire. Under current law, one quarter of the state's energy must come from renewable sources by 2025. Compliance is measured using Renewable Energy Credits (RECs) pegged to a certain dollar amount. All electric utilities operating within state lines are required to purchase RECs from their customers toward the standard and produce annual compliance reports. Credits are valid for three years after they are acquired. Utilities may opt out of participation in the standard if they contribute to the state's Green Energy Fund (GEF) or establish an RPS program and GEF of their own. Additional information is available on the Delaware Public Service Commission website.

Through their own Green Energy Fund, the Delaware Electric Cooperative awards rebates to members installing on-site solar, wind, fuel cell, or geothermal energy equipment. Applications will be open until funding runs out for the year. For program purposes, equipment under rebate is divided into two tiers based on average annual consumption: Class A and Class B. A customer's rebate amount will vary depending on which tier their system is sorted into and the type of technology involved. To qualify, customers must use a participating DEC installation contractor and meet minimum warranty requirements. They may also need to undergo a pre-installation energy audit. Additional information is available on the DEC websit

Users of solar, wind, biomass, and hydroelectric power systems in Delaware generate renewable energy credits (RECs). For solar power, one SREC equals one megawatt hour and is priced at roughly $55. Utilities must purchase these credits to go toward the state's renewable portfolio standard or pay an alternative compliance fee. Renewable generation system owners within certain localities may sell their SRECs to utilities on an open "spot market" for as long as their generation equipment is in proper working order. Interested Delawareans may certify their equipment with the Delaware Public Service Commission to access the GATS bidirectional metering and credit commerce system. Additional information is available on the DEPSC website.

Energize Delaware is an initiative managed by the state's Sustainable Energy Utility and created in 2007. The program is not a PACE program, but it operates on similar "open market" principles. Any utility customer, no matter their type or needs, may make use of the program to obtain incentives when they adopt renewable energy solutions. The full breadth of advisory, procurement, and installation services are available through Energize Delaware. Many of the current programs target residential renewable energy with an emphasis on solar PV and thermal systems. Additional information is available on the program website.

Multiple Delaware regulators have issued standardized rules for interconnecting power systems on a distributed grid. While required standards vary between utilities, most regulations currently apply to the Delmarva and DEC grids. Regulations are divided into four tiers based on a generation system's size and technology. As rated capacity increases, interconnection application review turnaround will lengthen and administrative fees become more expensive. Certain expedited review processes may apply for small systems using internationally certified equipment. Any interconnected system must have breakers, break isolators, and disconnect switches for safety. Owners must also obtain a minimum system warranty and sufficient liability insurance. Additional information is available from the DNREC website.

The Delaware Electric Cooperative was one of several utilities to opt out of the state's Green Energy Fund and renewable portfolio standard. In lieu of either program, the cooperative instead manages its own fund worth about $206,000 per year. This fund is supported by a tariff on customer energy bills. Funding typically supports distributed generation initiatives and rebate programs incentivizing customers to adopt renewable energy. Programs will vary from time to time, and they may have stricter financial or practical limitations due to a smaller annual budget. Additional information is available on the cooperative website.

The Solar Renewable Energy Certificate (SREC) Procurement Program sets the process by which Delaware can create a market for the exchange of SRECs. The policy creates a conduit for solar energy generators to procure SRECs based on the size of the system. Generators apply through a bidding process to receive the certificates through new projects only. Applicants receive interconnection with the main utility grid to allow for the exchange of power for SRECs. Generators that use state-approved labor resources receive a 10 percent bonus.