Solar Panels 2022 09 15

Minutes, Solar Panels ad hoc

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

Topics:

Note Taker: Kay Argyle

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

ConsensedFormat:  In person and on-line.

Decisions: [decision]Find out whether we qualify for the Inflation Reduction Act incentives. If not, probably go with Option 3, upgrade transformer, install all solar panels, upgrade microinverters, no batteries.  Try for option 1 if we do qualify:  transformer, all panels, battery.

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Action Item

Ben will ask RMP to verify whether the transformer serves just our property or if it is shared with neighbors.

Ben will ask RMP and Gardner about the Inflation Reduction Act.  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.  Multi-family housing, thinking of adding X number of level 2 chargers, would Make Ready cover any of the cost of the transformer?

Add registration as non-profit to Management's yearly tasks.

Discussion

Ben's contact at 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 microconvertersmicroinverters now in order to put in a battery later?  We are getting a refund because of not buying the battery, which could cover the cost of the microconverters.microinverters.

WithIn Inflation Reduction Act, non-profits get a 30% direct pay tax credit.  Starts Findin someone2023. who knowsUtah Clean Energy hasn't had time to go through the entire bill.  Tax rebate for batteries.  Does it apply to our type of non-profit, and is it based on the installation date or some other date? Looks like installation date.  Bill appears to make it retroactive to 2022.  Our contract was signed November 2021.  Custom incentives around multiple family housing for EV charging.

Option one. Upgrade the transformer, install the batteries and all solar panels (32.6 kW).  Additional cost $25,404. Need to raise $11,706 more to findpay for this.

Option Two. Upgrade the transformer, install the batteries, but reduce the number of panels to keep the cost roughtly equal to the original budget (26.5 kW).  Additional cost $13,131, $567 less than originally budgeted.

Option Three. Upgrade the transformer, install all solar panels but not the batteries, 32.6 kW. Refund $3,846.  Add microinverter upgrade, $2,570.

Option Four. No transformer upgrade. Install the batteries but reduce the number of panels to avoid the transformer upgrade, 24.5kW. Refund of $492.

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.

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

Our non-profit status expired in 2017, according to the State.

The transfer fee was set before the big increase in house prices.  $500 is a much smaller fraction of prices now.  Although we have rules against buying to rent, we don't have any protection against buying to flip; is there a way to structure that?

Utah Clean Energy hasn't figured out ifhow weto qualify.make community solar legal in Utah.  RMP fights it.

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

We currently have four EV, Wasons, Jennings, Sweeneys, Tysic.