Solar Panels 2022 09 15

Minutes, Solar Panels ad hoc

Thursday, September 15, 2022, 6:00-7:00 p.m.

Topics:  Discuss costs and select among options for solar panel installation:  transformer, battery, micro-inverters, and/or number of panels.

Note Taker: Kay Argyle

Attendees: guest Sarah Wright of Utah Clean Energy and a friend of Naomi's, Ben, Kay, Beth, Mary, Joe, Hans, Thomas

Format:  In person and on-line.

Decisions:  Try for option 1 -- transformer, all panels, battery -- if we qualify for the Inflation Reduction Act incentives  If not, probably go with Option 3, upgrade transformer, install all solar panels, upgrade micro-inverters, no batteries. 

Action Item

Ben will ask RMP and Gardner about the Inflation Reduction Act. 

Ben will ask RMP to verify whether the transformer serves just our property or if it is shared with neighbors. How much extra capacity would there be after the transformer upgrade?  Enough for units to add their own solar?

Beth will call RMP to ask about their Make Ready program.  We are a multi-family housing, thinking of adding X number of level 2 chargers, would Make Ready cover any of the cost of the transformer?

Get non-profit status renewed.  Add re-registration as a non-profit to Management's yearly tasks.

Options

Option one. Upgrade the transformer. Install the battery and all solar panels, 32.6 kW.  Additional cost $25,404. Need to raise $11,706 more to pay for this.

Option Two. Upgrade the transformer. Install the battery, but reduce the number of panels to 26.5 kW to keep the cost roughly equal to the original budget.  Additional cost $13,131, $567 less than originally budgeted.

Option Three. Upgrade the transformer. Install all 32.6 kW solar panels but not the battery. Refund $3,846.  Add microinverter upgrade, $2,570.  Net refund $1,276.

Option Four. No transformer upgrade. Install the battery but reduce the number of panels to 24.5 kW which the current the transformer can handle. Refund of $492.

Selection of Options and Costs

Ben's contact at Rocky Mountain Power (RMP) is Blake Ashcroft, estimator who gave us the cost for the transformer.  Mary Davis at PacifiCorp was working with Gardner. 

Could we upgrade the micro-inverters now in order to put in a battery later?  The refund because of not buying the battery that is no longer manufactured could cover the cost of the micro-inverters.

Hopefully upgrading the transformer would allow individual units to do solar panels without running up against the limit.

Incentives or Other Funding

In the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), non-profits get a 30% direct pay tax credit.  Utah Clean Energy hasn't had time to go through the entire bill.  Tax rebate for batteries. 

Utah Clean Energy hasn't figured out how to make community solar legal in Utah.  RMP fights it.

Does the IRA apply to our type of non-profit? Ben looked on a State government site -- Our non-profit status expired in 2017.

The Inflation Reduction Act starts in 2023.  Our contract was signed November 2021.  Is it based on the installation date or some other date? Looks like installation date.  Bill appears to make it retroactive to 2022.  

Could we get additional donations?  A couple of people indicated in the survey they might be willing to donate a thousand or so.  Get

The transfer fee was set before the recent big increase in real estate prices.  $500 is a much smaller fraction of prices now.  Raise it?

Current statistics are that 15% of sales are to investors for rentals; 10% are to flippers. Although we have rules stopping buying to rent, we don't have any protection against buying to flip; is there a way to structure that?  

EV Charging Stations

We currently have four electric vehicles (EV), the Wasons', the Jennings', the Sweeneys', and Tysic's.

The IRA has custom incentives around multiple family housing for EV charging.

Hans says Gardner says they don't install charging stations.

Rocky Mountain has a Make Ready program, giving incentives for installing EV charging stations.  Applications are reviewed quarterly.  "Everything required to connect the charger to the grid."  No cap on the award.

Emailed 9/16/2022.