In the US, and in other countries too, there is a good number of energy companies and local governments who are happy to give huge rebates to those seeking to install solar power. If you are lucky enough to live in any of these areas then you could be able to deduct if not the total cost, then certainly a large amount from the total cost of a professional solar power installation.



You want to check for yourself, but for example, let's look at Austin, Texas. The local energy company there will give you a direct rebate so you can cut a whopping 80% off the cost of your costs. That's not all though.

Installing a good solar energy system will mean that certain days days you 'harvest' more solar power than you can use, then the good news is that generally you can sell that additional energy back to your electricity company at wholesale rates.

To quote from the Austinenergy.com site: "For a typical residence, the cost of installing a one kilowatt (1,000 watts) solar photovoltaic system—the smallest considered practical—is between $6,000 and $10,000. Austin Energy will rebate $4,500 ($4.50 x 1,000 watts) of that."

If you purchase your solar panels by the pallet on ebay, you should be able to get a 2.5KWhp alternative energy system bought and fully installed for approximately $10,000. As they say on their website, AustinEnergy's maximum rebate in this case would be capped at 80% of your installation cost. That would take care of $8,000 of your costs with just $2,000 left to pay for your brand new 2.5KW solar power system.

Now, take into account the money you will be making by selling back your surplus solar power, and you can see that, within a very short time you will have paid back the total cost in this way. In other words, you will have obtained your solar power system for free!

If that's not good enough for you, then here's another example for sunny Florida. The State Department of Environmental Protection (http://www.dep.state.fl.us/energy/energyact/solar.htm) announced that they would give a rebate of $4 per Watt for installed PV-based solar power systems.

Therefore, if you are lucky enough to live in sunny Florida, and you install a 2.5KW solar power system for $10,000, then they will rebate you the entire $10,000! If you can feed surplus electricity back to your local utility company (and most do allow this) that you have obtained a totally free sustainable perpetual income stream!

With this offer however, there is one catch. No surprise really that this became a very popular offer indeed. So sadly, the department has been forced to announce the following statement: "While our funding for FY2008-2009 is already exhausted we will continue to accept applications for the next fiscal year. If you apply for the rebate program and your application is approved, you will be placed on a waiting list. If the program is appropriated with funding for FY2009-2010 by the Legislature, your application will be granted funding based on the order it was received."

So, you need to apply now for 2009. This is not so bad becuase if you get state agreement you too can get free solar energy!

Wherever you live in the US almost certainly there will be solar power rebates in your area. Check the Database of State Incentives for Renewable Energy to find out how good they are. (http://www.dsireusa.org/Index.cfm'EE=0&RE=1). This is a comprehensive source of information on state, local, utility, and selected federal incentives that promote renewable energy. Fingers crossed and you too may be getting your solar power for free!