Clean Energy Choice Bonus Programs
PLEASE NOTE:
*MTC is extending the deadline for both the Community Solar Bonus and the Percent of Households Bonus from April 30, 2008 to June 30, 2008. Note: This extension will enable May and June 08 signups for New England Wind Fund to be included a town’s participation tally.
IMPORTANT: MTC cannot guarantee that May and June 08 sign ups for National Grid’s GreenUp program will be counted in a town’s June 30, 2008 final tally because GreenUp enrollment can take up to eight weeks, depending upon a household’s monthly electric billing cycle.
This extra time will enable towns to continue signing up residents for New England Wind Fund through 5pm June 30, 2008 to meet the requirements of either the Community Solar bonus or Percent of Households Bonus Programs. Note: to qualify, a resident may either subscribe to New England Wind Fund for $5 per month or make a one-time $100 contribution to the Fund and must remain enrolled through 6/30/08.
The two different bonus programs are:
1. The Community Solar Challenge Program
Through this program, a municipality earns $25,000 in bonus funds for a 2- kilowatt municipal solar photovoltaic installation. This bonus requires a $10,000 from pledge from the municipality’s Clean Energy Choice account (from funds already earned or funds to be earned in the future). To receive this bonus, a city or town must do the following:
a. Get at least 150 new participants in the city or town to sign up for a Clean Energy Choice-qualified offering between May 1, 2007 and *April 30, 2008 (click here to see offerings available for residents in your town). In addition, if previous participants drop out, towns must get one new replacement participant for each one that does not reenroll. (Note: MTC posts enrollment numbers quarterly here).
Example: If a town has 125 participants on *April 30, 2007, in order to earn the bonus that town must add 150 new participants and those 125 that participated prior to *April 30, 2007 must renew or be replaced with additional new participants for a total of 275 participants by April 30, 2008.
b. Agree to provide a cost share of $10,000 from the town’s CLEAN ENERGY CHOICE account (this can come from funds already earned or funds to be earned in the future).
For those towns that qualify, MTC will award $25,000 (including the $10,000 cost share from the town’s Clean Energy Choice account) for the purchase and installation of a 2 kW solar PV array. Towns will receive these funds when they provide a copy of a signed contract between the town and a PV installer.
NOTE: Towns may earn up to two 2kW PV arrays if 300 new participants sign up for a Clean Energy Choice-qualified offering between May 1, 2007 and *April 30, 2008.
2. The Percent of Households Bonus Program
This program rewards a municipality for growing and maintaining a 3% or higher participation level. This level is cumulative and can be achieved over one or more years.
The Percent of Households Program provides a town with $50 per participant when 3% of households are participating as of *April 30, 2008. All monthly enrolled participants signed up previous to 4/30/07 who continue to participate through 4/30/08, along with those annual donors who renew by paying $100 or more between 5/1/07 and 4/30/08, will count towards the 3% (or higher levels).
In addition, once a town achieves the 3% bonus, it can earn bonuses of $50 per additional sign up when it achieves 6%, 9%, 12% and 15% participation rates.
Example: A town of 10,000 households earns its first 3% bonus on 4/30/07 because it has grown to 300 participants (bonus totals $50 x 300 = $6000). If on 4/30/08 the town has achieved a total of 600 participants, the town will receive another $6000 bonus for the additional 300 new participants added during the year. Subsequently, when the town reaches the 9%, 12%, or 15% participation levels, the town will receive $50 for each additional sign up that has occurred since the last bonus was earned.
*Total grants earned by municipalities are updated 30 days after the calendar quarter end and can be found at www.cleanenergychoice.org on the “For Towns and Cities” page. Note: only municipalities that pay into the Renewable Energy Trust qualify for Clean Energy Choice matching funds.