Solar program meeting set for Aug. 6

FORT COLLINS – Fort Collins Utilities will hold a meeting Tuesday, Aug. 6, on a solar purchase-power pilot program for which the city has budgeted $1 million.

The meeting takes place from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at 215 N. Mason St. in the Community Room. The program will involve the city paying businesses for electricity generated by businesses’ solar arrays.

The city will draft 20-year purchase-power agreements with qualified businesses. Solar arrays can range in size from 10 to 1,000 kilowatts. Businesses with arrays between 10 kilowatts and 100 kilowatts in size will receive 18 cents per kilowatt hour of electricity generated. Companies with arrays between 100 and 1,000 kilowatts will receive 15 cents per kilowatt hour.

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The goal of the program is to obtain about 5 megawatts of new locally installed solar capacity to help meet the city’s renewable energy commitments under the state renewable energy standard, the utility said. Applications for the program will be accepted now through Sept. 22.

The program stems from a state mandate requiring utilities serving more than 40,000 customers to generate 10 percent of their electricity from renewable energy by 2020. The city aims to provide 6 percent of retail electric sales from renewable-energy sources by 2015.

To reach its goal, the city has budgeted $500,000 this year and $500,000 next year for the pilot program. The program would cost $1 million annually after the second year.

For more information, visit fcgov.com/solar, email utilities@fcgov.com or call (970) 221-6700.

Correction: An earlier version of this story identified the wrong solar program. The story referred to deadlines earlier this year for a solar rebate program that the utility already has subscribed. The utility, however, continues to accept applications for that program, though applicants are placed on a waitlist.