Delmarva Power - Green Energy Program Incentives

December 12, 2023

Summary

The Green Energy Program consists of three separate programs: one for Delmarva Power & Light (DPL), the state's only investor-owned utility; one for the state's municipal utilities; and one for the Delaware Electric Cooperative (DEC).  This summary provides incentives available customers of Delmarva Power and Light (DPL). The grants are administered by the DE Energy Office. 

The investor-owned utility (DPL) program was established as part of The Electric Utility Restructuring Act of 1999, and is supported under Delaware's public benefits program, the Delmarva Power Green Energy Fund. Under the program, incentives are available for the installation of qualifying photovoltaic (PV), solar water heating, wind turbine, and geothermal heat pump systems. The Fund may also be used to support energy efficiency education programs. The program has recently been revised to allow projects financed using third-party power purchase agreements (PPAs). Grant eligibility and terms for PPA projects are determined by the eligibility of the project owner. Grant reservation request forms and interconnection requirements and forms may be downloaded from the Web site shown above.

Under the investor-owned program, 40% of rebate funding is available for residential customers and 60% of funding is available for non-residential customers, including energy efficiency education programs.* The total of all grants may not exceed 65% of the total annual revenue collected for the Delmarva Power Green Energy Fund. Incentive terms vary by technology, system size and sector is listed in the summary fields above. 

All systems must be installed by a participating contractor and carry a full five-year warranty. Beginning December 10, 2010 energy audits will be required for all existing buildings prior to grant approval. In addition, for projects undertaken as part of new construction, the building will have to be Energy Star certified in order to qualify for incentives. For further details on systems that qualify for rebates under this program, see the Green Energy Program Rules.


*S.B. 266 signed in July 2010 readjusts this allocation and requires that 60% of the funding support residential programs while 40% goes to non-residential.

Program Overview

Implementing Sector: State
Category: Financial Incentive
State: Delaware
Incentive Type: Rebate Program
Web Site: https://dnrec.alpha.delaware.gov/energy-climate/renewable/assistance/
Administrator: Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control
Start Date: Current funding cycle
Eligible Renewable/Other Technologies:
  • Solar Water Heat
  • Solar Space Heat
  • Solar Photovoltaics
  • Wind (All)
  • Geothermal Heat Pumps
  • Wind (Small)
  • Fuel Cells using Renewable Fuels
Incentive Amount: Solar PV
Residential: $0.70/W
Residenital Leased/PPA systems: Not eligible
Non-Residential: $0.70/W
Certified Diverse Business: $0.80/W
Non-Profit: $0.85/W

Wind
Residential: $0.85/W for first 5 kW, $0.25/W up to 50 kW
Non-Residential: $0.85/W for first 5 kW, $0.25/W up to 50 kW
Non-Profit: $1.75/W for first 5 kW, $1.00/W up to 50 kW

Solar Water Heating (SWH)
Residential: $1/kWh saved
Non-Residential: $1/kWh saved
Non-Profit: $2/kWh saved

GeoThermal Heat Pumps
Residential: $800/ton (first 2 tons), $700/ton (over 2 tons)
Non-Residential: $800/ton (first 2 tons), $700/ton (over 2 tons)
Non-Profit: $1,000/ton (first 2 tons), $800/ton (over 2 tons)
Maximum Incentive: Solar PV
Residential: $6,000
Non-Residential: $30,000
Certified Diverse Business: $40,000
Non-Profit: $35,000

Wind
Residential: $15,000
Non-Residential: $24,000
Non-Profit: $50,000

Solar Water Heating (SWH)
Residential:$5,000
Non-Residential: $10,000
Non-Profit: $10,000

Geothermal Heat Pumps
Residential:$5,000
Non-Residential: $30,000
Non-Profit: $30,000

Eligible System Size: Solar PV and Wind: up to 50 kW
Equipment Requirements: Systems must carry a full five-year warranty and meet applicable UL, IEEE, and NEC standards;
Solar thermal systems must be SRCC certified (OG-300 for residential and OG-100 for non-residential);
Geothermal heat pumps must have a minimum EER of 18.0 and COP of 3.6
Installation Requirements: On- and off-grid systems are eligible; systems must be installed by a participating contractor; solar PV and solar thermal systems must meet orientation, shading, and aesthetics requirements; wind energy systems may be reviewed for wind resource adequacy
Ownership of Renewable Energy Credits: Customer-generator

Incentives

This program has 8 incentives
Technologies: Solar Photovoltaics
Sectors: Residential, Low Income Residential
Parameters: The incentive is 0.70 $/W, The incentive has a minimum of $6000.00
Technologies: Solar Photovoltaics
Sectors: Nonprofit
Parameters: The incentive is 0.75 $/W, The incentive has a minimum of $35000.00
Technologies: Solar Water Heat, Solar Space Heat
Sectors: Residential
Parameters: The incentive is 1.00 $/first year kWh savings, The incentive has a minimum of $5000.00
Technologies: Geothermal Heat Pumps
Sectors: Residential
Parameters: The incentive is 800.00 $/ton, The incentive has a minimum of $5000.00
Technologies: Solar Photovoltaics
Sectors: Commercial, Industrial, Agricultural
Parameters: The incentive is 0.70 $/W, The incentive has a minimum of $30000.00
Technologies: Wind (Small)
Sectors: Residential
Parameters: The incentive is 0.85 $/W, The system has a minimum of 5.00 kW, The incentive is 0.25 $/W, The system has a minimum of 50.00 kW, The incentive has a minimum of $15000.00
Technologies: Solar Water Heat, Solar Space Heat
Sectors: Nonprofit
Parameters: The incentive is 2.00 $/first year kWh savings, The incentive has a minimum of $10000.00
Technologies: Solar Water Heat, Solar Space Heat
Sectors: Commercial, Industrial, Institutional
Parameters: The incentive is 1.00 $/first year kWh savings, The incentive has a minimum of $10000.00

Authorities

Name: 29 Del. C. § 8051 et seq.
Date Enacted: 12/13/2001
Effective Date: 01/11/2002
Name: Green Energy Program Rules
Effective Date: 12/10/2010
Name: S.B. 266
Date Enacted: 07/28/2010

Contact

Name: Program Information - Green Energy Program
Organization: Delaware Department of Natural Resources and
Address: 100 W. Water Street, Suite 5A,
Dover DE 19904
Phone: (302) 735-3480
Email: DNREC_GreenEnergyProgram@state.de.us

This information is sourced from DSIRE; the most comprehensive source of information on incentives and policies that support renewables and energy efficiency in the United States. Established in 1995, DSIRE is operated by the N.C. Clean Energy Technology Center at N.C. State University.