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Sun Watts solar energy program in full swing
By Adam Bernal/Wick Communications
The Sulphur Springs Valley Electric Cooperative is offering a new energy program called SunWatts, which would offer customers various options on using photovoltaic (solar) energy.
SunWatts was developed by SSVEC and Arizona's Touchstone Energy Cooperatives in an effort to develop a way for customers to take advantage of the growing renewable energy industry.
The SunWatts program has two distinct parts - the contribution program and the incentive program.
The contribution program would let customers voluntarily contribute extra money on their bills each month.
This money would be used for installation and maintenance for renewable energy projects across Arizona. Customers could opt out at any time.
The incentive program would help customers pay to install a solar energy system by offering a rebate. SSVEC will pay customers $4 per installed watt, with up to 2,000 watts for residential homes and 5,000 watts for small businesses and commercial units.
Currently, environmentally friendly energy sources such as solar power are more expensive to produce. With increased usage and improvements in technology, however, costs will be lowered, according to SSVEC's Web site.
The SunWatts program was developed in 2003 by the Arizona Electric Power Cooperative as a way to give customers environmentally friendly options other than using fossil fuels, Crane said.
Crane said it is important to get let customers know about these options and how much they and others can benefit from them.
"We want people to know it's out there," he said.
SunWatts was developed by SSVEC and Arizona's Touchstone Energy Cooperatives in an effort to develop a way for customers to take advantage of the growing renewable energy industry.
The SunWatts program has two distinct parts - the contribution program and the incentive program.
The contribution program would let customers voluntarily contribute extra money on their bills each month.
This money would be used for installation and maintenance for renewable energy projects across Arizona. Customers could opt out at any time.
The incentive program would help customers pay to install a solar energy system by offering a rebate. SSVEC will pay customers $4 per installed watt, with up to 2,000 watts for residential homes and 5,000 watts for small businesses and commercial units.
Currently, environmentally friendly energy sources such as solar power are more expensive to produce. With increased usage and improvements in technology, however, costs will be lowered, according to SSVEC's Web site.
The SunWatts program was developed in 2003 by the Arizona Electric Power Cooperative as a way to give customers environmentally friendly options other than using fossil fuels, Crane said.
Crane said it is important to get let customers know about these options and how much they and others can benefit from them.
"We want people to know it's out there," he said.
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