Solar Rebate Program

Home and small business owners who go solar can recover 35% of their investment through a new Pennsylvania program. Governor Ed Rendell says he expects the $100 million approved for the Sunshine Rebate Program to be claimed quickly. Rendell says this will help small businesses and homeowners who may have found solar energy costs to be prohibitive in the past..."they'll be able to generate their own power in a cleaner and increasingly more cost-effective manner. And by using less power off the grid, especially during times of peak demand when the sun is shining and it's hot out, they'll help lower costs for all consumers."
Rendell says the state rebate plus federal tax credits for installing solar energy systems can give Pennsylvanians up to a 50% discount. The average 5-kilowatt residential system costs about $35,000 to $40,000. Energy savings are estimated at $620 annually.