 |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
Technical Interconnection Issues Utah's net metering law allows customers generating up to 25 kW in solar, wind, or hydroelectric power to interconnect to the utility grid. The customer must follow local fire safety standards and national standards as established by the National Electrical Code (NEC), National Electrical Safety Code (NESC), Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE), and Underwriters Laboratories (UL). Utilities may enforce additional requirements if approved by the Utah Public Utility Commission (PUC) as necessary safety and reliability measures. Unless the PUC deems it necessary, utilities are not permitted to require customers to install manual external disconnect switches for their systems. Non-Technical Interconnection Issues Customers are not required to purchase additional liability insurance or perform or pay for tests beyond those required by national and local standards or the PUC. The utility may, however, test or inspect an interconnected facility at any time and may not be held accountable for any injury or loss incurred due to an unsafe interconnection. Contact: |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
Local
or State Incentive Programs for Wind Energy Investments
Renewable Energy Systems Tax CreditsUtah offers a state income tax credit for renewable energy systems, including wind. The credit for residential systems is 25 percent of the equipment and installation cost up to a maximum of $2,000. Commercial systems receive a 10 percent tax credit up to a maximum of $50,000. To apply for the tax credit, you will need to fill out an application and send it in to the State Energy Program along with copies of all invoices. Information about the tax credits, the application, and mailing instructions are all easily accessible through the Utah Energy Office website. The renewable Energy Tax Credit will expire December 31, 2006. A new bill will be submitted in the next Utah Legislative Meeting in 07. Contact: Renewable Energy Sales Tax Exemption Utah Code exempts the purchase or lease of equipment used to generate electricity from renewable resources, including wind, from the state sales tax. Eligible purchases or leases must be made for or by a renewable energy production facility on or after July 1, 2004 and before June 30, 2009. All leases must be made for at least seven years. Eligible facilities must use renewable energy to produce electricity and have a production capacity of 1 MW or greater. Contact: Anemometer Loan Program For more information visit: Utah's Anemometer Loan Program Contact: |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
Utility Incentives
We are unaware of any utility-specific incentives for wind energy development. |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Wind Resources
The Department of Energy's Wind Program and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) recently published a new wind resource map for the state of Utah. This resource map shows wind speed estimates at 50 meters above the ground and depicts the resource that could be used for utility-scale wind development. Future plans are to provide wind speed estimates at 30 meters, which will be useful for identifying small wind turbine opportunities. High resolution wind maps prepared by TrueWind Solutions, LLC are also available through the Utah Energy Office website. The US Department of Energy has produced wind resource maps for each state. The standard map for Utah can be found here. You may also find the definitions of Wind Power Classes for the maps helpful. The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) web site contains extensive information about wind resources in the United States. There is additional information in the Wind Energy Atlas of the United States, where you can review maps for other locations in the US or get more information about how the maps were created. |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Additional
Resources
The Utah Energy Office website is a great resource, complete with a Wind Resource Links page covering a wide variety of information for Utah and beyond. An electronic copy of the U.S. Department of Energy's 23-page Consumer’s Guide to Small Wind Electric Systems is available at the Wind Powering America web site. The Database of State Incentives for Renewable Energy (DSIRE) is a comprehensive source of information on state, local, utility, and selected federal incentives that promote renewable energy. Another item of interest is the Interstate Renewable Energy Council’s web site on wind energy projects and wind energy events/news occurring through out the country. |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Utility
Contacts
Contact your local utility to request additional information on their interconnection policies. Contact information for the regulated utilities (investor-owned utilities and cooperatives) can be found below. You can find contact information for the State’s 40+ unregulated municipal utilities through the Division of Public Utilities and by clicking here. INVESTOR OWNED PacifiCorp PacifiCorp dba
ELECTRIC - RETAIL COOPERATIVE Bridger Valley Electric Association Inc Dixie Escalante Rural Electric Association Inc Empire Electric Association Inc Flowell Electric Association Inc Garkane Energy Cooperative Inc Moon Lake Electric Association Inc Mt Wheeler Power Inc Raft River Rural Electric Cooperative Inc Wells Rural Electric Company |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Government
Contacts
State Energy Program Utah Division of Public Utilities |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
Local
Organizations Interested in Renewable Energy Issues
Utah Clean Energy Alliance works to speed the transition to a cleaner, safer, more sustainable energy future through advocacy, education and diverse partnerships. Utah Coalition for New Energy Technologies promotes corporate and non-profit members and their innovative technologies through outreach programs, policy advocacy and various other activities. Western Resource Advocates (WRA), founded in 1989, is a non-profit environmental law and policy organization dedicated to restoring and protecting the natural environment of the Interior American West. Their Energy Program provides resources for renewable energy and energy efficiency, while working toward incentives and policies that lower greenhouse gas emissions and reduce the impacts of existing coal plants. The Utah Grassroots Campaign for Wind Power was started in 2001 and is now a joint project of Western Resource Advocates and the Utah Clean Energy Alliance. The goal of the campaign is to increase public awareness and use of pollution-free wind generated electricity. |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
Feedback Keeping an information database such as this one useful and up-to-date requires feedback from people using the site. If you have comments or ideas about how to improve this site, please contact: kathy_belyeu@awea.org Be sure to mention not only your ideas, comments or criticisms, but also the specific URL (Web address) for the page. |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
©
2006 by the American Wind Energy Association. |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
SMALL WIND in