Asheville NC Custom Builder shares about NC Green Power Program

NC Green Power, a statewide green power program designed to encourage the use of renewable energy in North Carolina, offers production payments for grid-tied electricity generated by solar, wind, small hydro (10 megawatts or less) and biomass resources. Payment arrangements for electricity generated by most renewable energy systems are available by submitting proposals for consideration in an open-bid process. However, owners of small solar energy systems and small wind energy systems (10 kilowatts or less) may currently apply to receive program incentives at any time. Owners of small solar energy systems or wind-energy systems are encouraged to review and fill out an online application, available on the NC Green Power web site. Note that customer-generators who choose to net meter are not permitted to sell electricity under the NC Green Power Program.

Generators are required to enter into power-purchase agreements with their North Carolina electric utility and with NC Green Power. However, because premiums paid to NC Green Power are funded exclusively by voluntary contributions from North Carolina electric customers, NC Green Power does not provide guaranteed contracts to generators. Production incentives are based on the amount expected to make the installation of renewable-energy systems approach economic feasibility. The incentives, which include payments from utility power-purchase agreements, are made on a per-kWh basis and vary by technology. Owners of small solar electric systems enrolled in NC Green Power receive $0.15/kWh from the program, plus approximately $0.04/kWh from their utility under the power-purchase agreement, for a total production payment of about $0.19/kWh. Owners of small wind-energy systems receive $0.06/kWh from the program, plus approximately $0.04/kWh from their utility, for a total production payment of about $0.10/kWh.*

NC Green Power is an independent, nonprofit organization created by state-government officials, electric utilities, nonprofit organizations, consumers, renewable-energy advocates and other stakeholders. It began operation in October 2003 as the first statewide green-power program in the United States. North Carolina's three investor-owned utilities -- Dominion North Carolina Power, Duke Energy and Progress Energy -- and many of the state's municipal utilities and electric cooperatives are participating in the NC Green Power Program. Advantage Development Co. is an award winning custom green builder in Asheville NC building fine custom homes for two decades. Call us today or visit us at http://www.advdevco.com/ to learn why we are better.