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Politics : Rat's Nest - Chronicles of Collapse -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Skywatcher who wrote (3666)	2/16/2006 12:32:17 PM
From: Wharf Rat	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 24210

Belize should work; belize it or not,the air felt wet. ------------------------------------------ Solar tax plan heats up Deirdre Gregg Staff Writer Tearing winds and nearly record-breaking rainy streaks can't dampen David Reid's sunny outlook. In January, Reid bought a solar power system for the roof of his house on Seattle's Beacon Hill. A new federal tax credit wasn't his primary reason for buying a solar system, he said, but it sped up his decision by about six months. "If you were to rank the reasons," he said, "I'd say energy security first, environment second, financial would be third, and last would be just because I'm a techie geek." Proponents of solar power in Washington state think that the federal tax credit and a new state tax incentive that could take effect as soon as this spring will prove a potent combination that could encourage more people like Reid to embrace solar power. State regulators are gearing up to act on the final steps needed to trigger a state incentive enacted last year that essentially pays customers for generating their own electricity, making a solar power system significantly more affordable. The regulators are refining the interconnection standards that spell out how a customer's facility, such as a solar roof, would connect to an electric utility's system. Solar suppliers say the combination of state and federal tax incentives, which could mean up to $4,000 in tax credits, is getting customers' attention. Chris Herman, a solar designer at Seattle-based Winter Sun Design, said hundreds of people have attended the workshops on solar power he has run for several utilities. Herman, past president of solar proponents group Solar Washington, said he has also done about 30 paid site assessments and consultations in recent weeks -- about five times the rate of business he usually gets in the middle of winter. Larry Owens, vice president of Solar Washington and owner of Shoreline-based Bright Solutions LLC, has already seen a response to the federal tax credit, and thinks triggering the state incentive will mean more growth. "I believe we're going to see a significant increase in jobs, in sales and in opportunities," he said. SSB 5101, last year's tax incentive bill, would pay customers up to $2,000 based on how much power their solar systems generate, with higher payments for systems made in Washington. But those rebates won't start until the utilities providing 80 percent of power in the state adopt similar or identical standards. A standard setup is required for safety and the protection of utilities' other customers, and standard requirements allow the same equipment to be used by different utilities. The state Utilities and Transportation Commission, which regulates privately owned utilities, began developing rules in August, and, sources say, is now moving toward approving them. The commission will hold a public adoption hearing on Feb. 22. Then the three-member commission will make a decision, which will become effective about 30 days after it's filed. In an unusual parallel move, a number of public utilities, such as Snohomish Public Utility District, have adopted similar rules, which should mean the state will reach the 80 percent threshold. At that point, the Department of Revenue will certify that the mark has been reached and will begin implementing the tax credit. Contact: dgregg@bizjournals.com • 206-447-8505x114 bizjournals.com