The following is some basic information about the costs, financial returns, and available incentives and financing opportunities for typical solar installations. We hope that this information will enable you to understand these issues and get a basic idea of the cost of a system that will work for you, but we also ask that you keep in mind that:

• the costs listed below are ballpark figures and are to be used strictly to get an idea of cost, not an exact cost.
• the economies of scale also apply to solar installations, meaning that the bigger the system, the cheaper it is per unit of installation.

How Much Does it Cost?  
Return on Investment
Solar Incentives & Financing Opportunities

How Much Does it Cost?
These numbers are derived from the average ballpark costs from Fort Collins solar installers. Be sure to talk to your local installers about specific prices for your installation and remember that these numbers are ballpark figures.

Photovoltaics (solar electricity): Equipment and installation costs based on the number of watts in the PV array. The larger the system, the less per watt (in the PV array). Assuming an uncomplicated installations:

Grid-tied, no battery back up $7.50 - $10.50/watt installed

Grid-tied, with battery back up $8.75 - $16.75/watt installed

Stand Alone (off grid) $12.00 - $22.00/watt installed

Equipment and installation costs based on the expected average monthly kWh output (in Northern Colorado): this is a good way of estimating the cost of a system if you don't know how many watts you need in your PV array, because you can get an idea of cost based on the average monthly output of the system. The larger the system, the lower the equipment costs per monthly output. Assuming an uncomplicated installation:

Grid-tied, no battery back up $60 - $90 kWh output in an average month

Grid-tied, with battery back up $80 - $150 kWh output in an average month

Stand Alone (off grid) $95 - $285 kWh output in an average month

Solar thermal (solar hot water for domestic &/or space heating) flat panel system for domestic hot water for a family of four:

$4,000 for collectors, pumps, controllers and sensors, valves, and storage tank, plus the cost of installation time and other materials. (Refurbished used panels are a good way to help bring cost down.)

Evacuated tube collector array, closed loop (anti-freeze) system for domestic hot water for a family of four:

$5,000 for collectors, pumps, controllers and sensors, antifreeze, valves and storage tank, plus the cost of installation time and other materials.

Solar thermal system for hydronic radiant floor heat: remember that the heat loss for every home is different and so a heat-loss calculation is necessary to determine the amount of hot water and solar panels needed for your home.

$10,000 to start for a complete system, installed.

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Return on Investment
Currently, solar thermal panels typically pay for themselves in energy savings for domestic hot water within 6 to 10 years, after that supplying free energy.

Off-grid applications of photovoltaics that are a mile or more from the nearest utility tie-in pay for themselves instantly because of the savings from not tying into the grid!

Remember too, that aside from the monetary return on investment there are the enormous benefits of lessening our impact on the earth, making way for cleaner air, and the HUGE coolness factor of solar energy!

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Solar Incentives & Financing Opportunities

Federal Government
There are certain tax incentives and low-interest loans for both residential, but chiefly commercial development through the federal government. You can find out if you qualify by visiting the Database of State Incentives for Renewable Energy at: www.dsireusa.org

State of Colorado
The state of Colorado does not offer any tax incentives or low interest loans for installing solar panels. All incentives for the state of Colorado are on an individual, town by town/city by city basis or through your public utility. For more information go to www.dsireusa.org and click on the state of Colorado.

Local
Platte River Power Authority: Kash for Kilowatts: Cooling Rebate Pilot Program

The Platte River Power Authority offers large commercial and industrial customers financial incentives for every kilowatt saved of verifiable summer peak demand reduction, using specific projects invested in by the customer which could include solar power projects. You can find more information on the Kash at www.prpa.org/productservices/eepoverview.htm#eligible

Fort Collins
ZILCH: Zero Interest Loans for Conservation Help. Get a zero-interest loan to help make energy improvements to your home. For more information, see http://fcgov.com/conservation/res-zilch.php

Electric Efficiency Program Fort Collins:
http://fcgov.com/conservation/biz-eep.php

Cash Incentives for Summer Peak Savers: Fort Collins Utilities offers cash incentives for projects that reduce your summer power use. The incentives make improvements more affordable, giving you a great opportunity to save on electricity costs.

Aspen
Aspen Solar Pioneer Program - Zero-interest loan or rebates for solar hot water and photovoltaics. 
 
Purchasers of solar hot water systems may elect to receive either a $1000 cash rebate OR a $500 cash rebate and 0% financing. Purchasers of PV systems may opt for the 0% financing OR a production incentive ($0.25/kWh for four years with a $4,000 maximum), but not both.

For more information, see www.aspencore.org/NEW_FORMAT/RebateLoanDetails.htm or contact Val Douglass at Community Office for Resource Efficiency (CORE), P.O Box 9707, Aspen, CO 81612. Phone: (970) 544-9808 val@aspencore.org

Gunnison County Electric - Renewable Energy Resource Loan
Gunnison County Electric Association's (GCEA) low-interest loan program has loans available to members and non-members in the GCEA service territory for the installation of photovoltaic, wind, and other renewable energy projects as approved by the board of directors. A loan of up to $25,000 over 10 years is available to qualifying participants. Current interest rates vary by month but are fixed at the time the loan is made.
 
For more information contact Mark Daily, Gunnison County Electric Association, Inc. 37250 Hwy. 50, P.O. Box 180, Gunnison, CO 81230. (970) 641-3520 or (800) 726-3523.

Amendment 37
On November 2, 2004, Colorado voters passed Amendment 37, a proposed renewable energy requirement. The initiative requires Colorado utilities with 40,000 or more customers to generate or purchase a percentage of their electricity from renewable sources. Additionally, the initiative establishes a standard rebate offer for solar electric generation equipment and a state-wide net metering system.  
 
Under the initiative, utilities are required to offer customers a minimum rebate of $2.00/watt of installed solar electric capacity, up to 100 kW. Systems may be net metered, and net excess generation may be carried forward as a credit to the following month’s consumption.    

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