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Energy Savings
Installers
Interconnection
Metering
System Selection
Tax Incentives

Energy Savings

Will my monthly APS bill show the total energy produced by my photovoltaic system?
No. Your monthly bill only shows the electricity purchased from, or sold to APS. You will be required to install a dedicated kWh meter for your photovoltaic system. You can track energy production by reading your meter on a monthly basis.

What energy savings should I expect?
Generally, 1,000 watts of photovoltaic modules (DC peak rating) produce approximately 4 to 5 kWh per day. For example, if you install a 3,000 watt (DC) system(3 kWDC), you can anticipate that your system will produce between 4,300 and 5,500 kWh per year. Note: the majority of the PV production will be consumed for your household energy needs and will not be displayed as a line item on your APS bill.
 

Installers

What installer qualifications are required?
Installers must hold an active license with the Arizona Registrar of Contractors that is appropriate for the technology you are having them install.

• PV installations should be performed by an Arizona licensed contractor holding one of the following certifications: C-11, K-11, L-11.
• Solar water heating Installations should be performed by an Arizona licensed contractor holding one of the following certifications: C-37, C-37R, K-77, K-78, L-77, L-78.
• Other license certifications may be approved if demonstrated to be appropriate.

How can I find out if my installer holds the required credentials?
License information can be obtained from the website of the Arizona Registrar of Contractors* (AZROC) or can be verified by contacting AZROC by phone at (602) 542-1525.

What criteria should I use to choose an installer?
There are many factors to consider when selecting an installer.  Price is only one important factor to consider. Here are some other considerations:

• How much experience does the company have installing the proposed technology?
• Will the company provide you with a copy of their current business license?
• Does the company have any unresolved complaints with the Arizona Registrar of Contractors?
• Does the company have any judgments or liens?
• Will the company provide you with references? 
• Does the company have a record with the Better Business Bureau* and are there any unresolved complaints?
• Remember, if you get more than one bid; make sure they are for comparable systems, warranties and installation methods.

Does APS maintain a list of licensed contractors?
While APS does not currently maintain a list of licensed contractors, you may want to refer to one or more of the following resources for assistance in selecting a contractor. Please note that APS does not maintain or endorse any of the sites or contractors listed.

Arizona Solar Center
c/o Janus II - Environmental Architects
4309 E. Marion Way
Phoenix, AZ 85018

Find Solar
P.O. Box 4352
Santa Rosa, CA 95402-4352
Contact: Brad Collins, Executive Director
American Solar Energy Society
(303) 443-3130 Ext. 102

North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners
Saratoga Technology Energy Park 
10 Hermes Road, Suite 400• Malta, NY 12020

Solar Buzz
P.O. Box 475815,
San Francisco, CA, 94147-5815
(415) 928-9743

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Interconnection

Why does APS inspect my System as a condition to its startup and operation?
Your system is inspected to assure that it will not cause damage to our system or injury to our personnel or contractors. This inspection is required of all electric generators who request permission to connect to our system that can or will deliver electricity.

Is the inspection intended to make certain that my system is properly installed and in good working order?
Our inspection is centered on your interconnection to our system to assure that it complies with our standards. Our inspection is not intended to verify that in other respects your system has been correctly installed. Any questions you may have about your system's installation need to be refered to your installer. We may inspect certain elements of your system as they pertain to program requirements prior to payment of your incentive.
 
Why are these standards for interconnected operation so important?
These standards are important to safe and reliable operation of both your photovoltaic system and our utility distribution system. For example, our line crews routinely perform maintenance on our system and need to be able to verify that the facilities they are working on are de-energized to prevent being seriously injured. Our interconnection standards that are referenced in the Interconnection Agreement you signed are intended, in part, to allow for this verification. Other requirements make certain that your system does not interrupt our system's operation, resulting in system outages that could effect energy delivery to our other customers.

Failing to comply with the conditions of the Interconnection Agreement is a breach of its terms and may result in its termination. If that happens, we can require that you disconnect your system from our utility system and that you refund the incentive payment that was paid to you as a part of the Solar Partners Program.

What other operating consideration should I be aware of in the Interconnection Agreement?
Carefully review the Interconnection Agreement and its attachments to make sure you are fully aware of your responsibilities. For example, in addition to compliance with the interconnection standards, you need to bear in mind that you cannot make any changes to your system once we have inspected and cleared it for interconnected operation without first advising us. You also have to provide us continuing, unobstructed access to your property in case we need to observe your system's operation or access our meter or other equipment on your property.   

Why don't these requirements apply to all APS customers?  Why are Solar Partner Program Participants being singled out?
As a participant in the APS Solar Partners Program, you are no longer an ordinary electric customer - you are now also an electric generator.  As such, your responsibilities have changed significantly.  A lack of awareness or a negligent or intentional failure to abide by the terms governing your interconnection with our system can pose serious threats of personal injury (including loss of life) as well as property damage or loss, and can disrupt the reliability of electric distribution to other customers we serve.  The standards of interconnection included in our Interconnection Agreement with you are therefore intended for our mutual protection, to manage adverse risks that can easily be avoided given compliance with their requirements.

What happens if my System fails its inspection?
We will schedule another inspection at your premises to verify that your system is interconnected in compliance with the standards established in the Interconnection Agreement.  Because it is so important, we want to again emphasize that once your photovoltaic system is cleared for interconnected operation with the APS distribution system, changes to photovoltaic system's approved configuration may not be made without first informing us so that we may verify that the proposed changes meet required standards for interconnected operation.

Who should I call or contact if I have questions about the Interconnection Agreement and its requirements?
You can get answers to your questions by calling the APS Solar Partners Team at (602) 328-1924 or by e-mailing us at aps@aps.com.

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Metering

Do I need a dedicated solar meter that is separate from my APS billing meter?
Yes. You must provide a separate meter for the solar system, and it must be placed adjacent to the existing APS meter and marked "Photovoltaic System Dedicated kWh Meter."

Am I required to report to APS the kWh output from my solar system?
Yes. APS requires that program participants report the production of the solar system. Find more information on meter reading and output reporting here or call the Solar Partner Incentive Program Customer Service Line at (602) 328-1924.

What metering arrangement is required if I want to sell power back to APS?
Both the EPR-2 and EPR-5 rates require the installation of an electronic bi-directional meter. A bi-directional meter has two separate metering registers, one to record energy delivered to the customer and the other to record energy sent from the customer. The customer is charged the current retail rate under the applicable APS tariff for the customer’s energy usage (sales to the customer). Through these rates, APS purchases energy produced by your system that is not used at your home or business. Information about reading your bi-directional meter is available.

Will APS need to physically access the bi-directional meter to read it?
Yes. APS cannot remotely read your bi-directional meter. It is the customer’s responsibility to ensure that APS has unrestricted access to the billing meter 24-hours a day.

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System Selection

What factors impact the output of my solar system?
There are a number of variables that impact the output of your solar system.

• Heat – Output ratings on solar panels are based on results under Standard Test Conditions. The graph below illustrates how heat degrades the performance of solar panels. 
  
• Time of Day – Maximum power output occurs near midday.
• Season – Maximum power output occurs in the spring and fall.
• Installation Factors – Tilt angle, array orientation and shading all impact system performance.
• System Maintenance – Dirt and dust accumulating on solar panels will degrade system performance.

What are the minimum system requirements for photovoltaic solar systems to qualify for The Solar Partners Incentive Program?

• The PV system must have all new components.
• It must be a complete solar system, which includes solar panels, inverter, and other related equipment to provide AC electricity to a customer site.
• If grid tied, the system must use UL-rated components and meet all of APS interconnection requirements.
• The customer must provide a separate meter for the solar system and it must be placed adjacent to the existing APS meter and marked "Photovoltaic System Dedicated kWh Meter".
• Off grid systems are limited to a maximum system size of 5 kW.

What are the minimum system requirements for small solar water heating systems?

• The solar water heater must be new.
• The solar water heating system must replace an electric water heater or other water heating system approved by the ACC.
• The system must have obtained certification under the SRCC OG-300 system rating test.
• Estimated first year energy savings are not to exceed 10,000 kWh.

How do I find out the SRCC rating of my solar water heater?
An SRCC rating guide* is maintained by the Solar Rating and Certification Corporation.

How do I determine what system size I will require?
To get the full retail value for the energy your PV system produces, it is best to size the system to closely match the electric usage during daylight hours. This allows you to maximize the displacement of purchased electricity. When you sell energy back to APS you can choose to be paid at the wholesale rate -- avoided cost -- specified in the EPR-2 rate or you select our new EPR-5 net metering rate.        

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Tax Incentives

Where can I go to find out more information about tax incentives?
The Database of State Incentives for Renewable Energy* has information regarding state and federal incentives.

*Pop-up blockers on your Web browser may prevent you from viewing this hyperlink.

Contact APS Renewables  |  Renewable Energy Home
Learn more about all APS Green Choice programs

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