September 23, 2020 – The Arizona Corporation Commission approved a request by Sunny Energy, and other solar companies, through the Arizona Solar Energy Industries Association, to extend one of the most important utility incentives for homeowners who want solar in Arizona. This incentive at risk is the RCP Export Rate, used by publicly owned utility companies such as APS, TEP and UNS, to compensate consumers for the solar energy they produce and export to the grid.

APS, TEP and UNS recently requested the Arizona Corporation Commission to allow them to reduce this incentive, which would have cost new consumers with solar thousands of dollars. Instead of granting their requests, the Commission told the utility company to table their requests for at least a year. This is a huge win for homeowners who want to go solar in Arizona.

Joe Cunningham, co-founder of Phoenix area solar contracting company, Sunny Energy, commented, “homeowners who go solar have benefited greatly from this incentive, so to see it about to get reduced is heartbreaking. Now, all new solar consumers for at least the next year will be able to enjoy the benefits of this utility incentive, just like thousands of solar owners before them.”

Solar energy is not always used by the home it’s attached to when it is produced. The excess energy is exported to the utility grid for other consumers to use. In fact, most home solar systems export 50% to 60% of the energy they produce.

The utility company benefits from this because the excess energy from consumers’ home solar systems is energy they do not have to purchase or produce. The RCP Export Rate is a fair way to compensate homeowners for this exported energy. Otherwise, they would lose it. And, the credits on their utility bill from this incentive are used to pay for other energy that they do buy from the utility company, say at night.

Combined with the 26% Federal tax credit and the Arizona State tax credit, these incentives make it very affordable for all homeowners to invest in solar energy for their homes, independence from their utility companies and security for their families.

Sunny Energy is consistently named a top solar installer by Solar Reviews and a top solar contractor by Solar Power World. Sunny Energy proudly holds the number one position in terms of overall customer ratings, when viewed across numerous review sites, such as Google, Yelp, BBB, Solar Reviews, EnergySage, and more.

Give us a call at 480-257-3283 or visit sunnyenergy.solar for a free, no-hassle and virtual consultation.