Many people have asked, “How will Fat Spaniel and the rest of the renewable energy industry benefit from the Obama administration stimulus bill?” While there are 18 discrete elements of the bill that our industry can take advantage of, three programs stand out.
Solar For Schools
The “Solar for Schools” program appropriates $53.6 billion to a state fiscal stabilization fund. Program language specifies that states shall use 18.2% of this money for public safety and other government services, including the renovation of facilities and schools to meet green building standards. Solar energy projects qualify. (Div. A, Sec. 14001-14002, pp. 425-429)
Given Fat Spaniel’s partnerships with the Bonneville Environmental Foundation http://www.b-e-f.org/renewables/ and the Sun Skool organization http://www.sunskool.com/Default.aspx to promote solar in schools, Fat Spaniel is particularly excited about the opportunity to enlighten the world’s young people about renewable energy.
Government Building Energy Efficiency and Solar
This provision appropriates $5.5. billion for expenditures to construct, repair and alter federal buildings to increase energy efficiency, including installing solar energy equipment. $4.5 billion is available for converting GSA facilities to high-performance green buildings and $1 billion is available for non-recurring maintenance on Veterans Affairs facilities, including energy projects. The GSA estimates that 75% of the anticipated projects will include a solar component. (Div. A, p. 213)
Because of the ongoing need to maintain trust with the public, Fat Spaniel believes that it can make a key contribution to the greater good by providing renewable energy monitoring services that ensure data accuracy, transparency, auditability, and open access to the public. Fat Spaniel services are used for assessing both electricity demand and production
Renewable Energy Grants
The Renewable Energy Grant provision creates a new program through the Department of Treasury that provides grants equal to 30 percent of the cost of solar property placed in service during 2009 and 2010, in lieu of the section 48 investment tax credit. (Div. B, Sec. 1104, p. 38)
This provision represents a foundation for the U.S. solar industry, and will ensure that growth remains steady. Fat Spaniel’s revenue-grade reporting service plays a critical role in verifying that these systems were placed into service, thus enabling our customers to tap into an important source of funds
As the year progresses, we will be providing more commentary on the stimulus bill.
Write back to us at “dogblog at fatspaniel dot com” to share your views.
Posted by Tom Tansy.