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Solar power in Alabama
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<h2 id="net-metering">Net metering</h2> <p>Offering <a href="/facts/Net_metering/wjClwWPA">net metering</a> is required by federal law, but Alabama is one of only four states to not have adopted a statewide policy on net metering, which means it needs to be negotiated with the utility.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:3" href="#fn:3"><sup>3</sup></a> <a href="/facts/Interstate_Renewable_Energy_Council/pT52WBr8">IREC</a> best practices, based on experience, recommends no limits to net metering, individual or aggregate, and perpetual roll over of kWh credits.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:4" href="#fn:4"><sup>4</sup></a> </p><p>Alabama Power has installed four types of solar panels in Birmingham that can be monitored on the Internet.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:5" href="#fn:5"><sup>5</sup></a> The company will pay up to 4.81¢/kWh during the summer and 3.93¢/kWh in the winter for excess generation from up to 100 kW systems.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:6" href="#fn:6"><sup>6</sup></a> Peak power rates are weekdays, 1 to 7 pm in summer and 5 to 9 am in winter.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:7" href="#fn:7"><sup>7</sup></a> Customers choosing the Time Advantage Energy rate pay 7¢/kWh during winter peak periods and 25¢/kWh during summer peak periods. Off peak is charged 5¢/kWh. Using time advantage requires a time of use meter, and the base charge is increased by $10.50 each month.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:8" href="#fn:8"><sup>8</sup></a> </p> <h2 id="solar-power-projects">Solar power projects</h2> <p>In 2010, one of Alabama's largest solar arrays was the 25 kW system installed at the Coastal Response Center, in <a href="/facts/Coden,_Alabama/IH5Iq3Cw">Coden, Alabama</a>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:9" href="#fn:9"><sup>9</sup></a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:10" href="#fn:10"><sup>10</sup></a> A $250,000 economic stimulus grant was used to install 156 solar panels on <a href="/facts/Anniston,_Alabama/lLGLQ3ST">Anniston</a>'s Museum of Natural History, which was completed on August 24, 2011.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:11" href="#fn:11"><sup>11</sup></a> The output of this 25.2 kW system can also be monitored online.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:12" href="#fn:12"><sup>12</sup></a> </p><p>River Bend Solar, completed in 2016, contributes 75 MW capacity to the <a href="/facts/Tennessee_Valley_Authority/RgV7orV4">TVA</a> power grid, and reduces carbon emissions by 100,000 tons annually.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:13" href="#fn:13"><sup>13</sup></a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:14" href="#fn:14"><sup>14</sup></a> </p><p>LaFayette Solar Farm in <a href="/facts/LaFayette,_Alabama/IsvlFVP0">LaFayette</a>, completed in 2019, supplies 79.2 MW to <a href="/facts/Walmart/E6dPQV2m">Walmart</a>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:15" href="#fn:15"><sup>15</sup></a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:16" href="#fn:16"><sup>16</sup></a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:17" href="#fn:17"><sup>17</sup></a> </p><p>In 2021, Covington Electric Cooperative, which is constructing a 100 kW solar array, is the only <a href="/facts/Utility_cooperative/VNdYNDVl">rural electric cooperative</a> in Alabama with a <a href="/facts/Community_solar_farm/QEUWl3aF">community solar</a> program.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:18" href="#fn:18"><sup>18</sup></a> </p> <h2 id="solar-panel-manufacturing">Solar panel manufacturing</h2> <p>In 2019, <a href="/facts/LG_Electronics/9aeXYv1t">LG Electronics</a> opened a solar panel manufacturing plant in <a href="/facts/Huntsville,_Alabama/Rdu00gpd">Huntsville</a>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:19" href="#fn:19"><sup>19</sup></a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:20" href="#fn:20"><sup>20</sup></a> </p> <h2 id="statistics">Statistics</h2> <table><tbody><tr><td>Source: NREL<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:21" href="#fn:21"><sup>21</sup></a></td></tr></tbody></table> Grid-connected PV capacity (MWp)<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:22" href="#fn:22"><sup>22</sup></a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:23" href="#fn:23"><sup>23</sup></a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:24" href="#fn:24"><sup>24</sup></a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:25" href="#fn:25"><sup>25</sup></a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:26" href="#fn:26"><sup>26</sup></a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:27" href="#fn:27"><sup>27</sup></a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:28" href="#fn:28"><sup>28</sup></a><table><tbody><tr><th scope="col">Year</th><th scope="col">Capacity</th><th scope="col">Installed</th><th scope="col">% Change</th></tr><tr><td>2009</td><td>0.2</td><td>0.1</td><td>100%</td></tr><tr><td>2010</td><td>0.4</td><td>0.2</td><td>100%</td></tr><tr><td>2011</td><td>0.5</td><td>0.1</td><td>20%</td></tr><tr><td>2012</td><td>1.1</td><td>0.6</td><td>120%</td></tr><tr><td>2013</td><td>1.9</td><td>0.8</td><td>73%</td></tr><tr><td>2014</td><td>1.9</td><td>0</td><td>0%</td></tr><tr><td>2015</td><td>2</td><td>0.1</td><td>5%</td></tr><tr><td>2016</td><td>105</td><td>103</td><td>5,150%</td></tr><tr><td>2017</td><td>215</td><td>110</td><td>105%</td></tr><tr><td>2018</td><td>263</td><td>48</td><td>22%</td></tr><tr><td>2019</td><td>283</td><td>20</td><td>7.6%</td></tr><tr><td>2020</td><td>283.1</td><td>0.1</td><td>0.03%</td></tr><tr><td>2021</td><td>577.9</td><td>294.8</td><td>%</td></tr><tr><td>2022</td><td>578</td><td>0.1</td><td>%</td></tr></tbody></table> Utility-scale solar generation in Alabama (GWh)<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:29" href="#fn:29"><sup>29</sup></a><table><tbody><tr><th>Year</th><th>Total</th><th>Jan</th><th>Feb</th><th>Mar</th><th>Apr</th><th>May</th><th>Jun</th><th>Jul</th><th>Aug</th><th>Sep</th><th>Oct</th><th>Nov</th><th>Dec</th></tr><tr><td>2016</td><td>41</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>11</td><td>13</td><td>7</td></tr><tr><td>2017</td><td>179</td><td>7</td><td>8</td><td>13</td><td>16</td><td>19</td><td>20</td><td>19</td><td>18</td><td>17</td><td>16</td><td>10</td><td>16</td></tr><tr><td>2018</td><td>357</td><td>20</td><td>17</td><td>32</td><td>37</td><td>39</td><td>40</td><td>39</td><td>37</td><td>33</td><td>30</td><td>17</td><td>16</td></tr><tr><td>2019</td><td>386</td><td>19</td><td>18</td><td>34</td><td>40</td><td>46</td><td>41</td><td>43</td><td>39</td><td>40</td><td>25</td><td>24</td><td>17</td></tr><tr><td>2020</td><td>371</td><td>18</td><td>21</td><td>26</td><td>40</td><td>44</td><td>41</td><td>41</td><td>38</td><td>30</td><td>28</td><td>23</td><td>21</td></tr><tr><td>2021</td><td>276</td><td>19</td><td>20</td><td>32</td><td>44</td><td>46</td><td>38</td><td>39</td><td>38</td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr></tbody></table> <h2 id="see-also">See also</h2> <ul> <li>Renewable energy portal</li><li>Energy portal</li><li>United States portal</li></ul> <ul><li><a href="/facts/Solar_power_in_the_United_States/JEcSSnGW">Solar power in the United States</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/Renewable_energy_in_the_United_States/aSrktBDY">Renewable energy in the United States</a></li></ul> <h2 id="external-links">External links</h2> <ul><li><a href="https://archive.today/20130414140808/http://www.dsireusa.org/incentives/index.cfm?getRE=1%3Fre=1&ee=0&state=AL">Incentives and policies</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.alabamapower.com/environment/renewable-energy/solar-energy.asp">Alabama Power</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.al-solar.org/">Alabama Solar Association</a></li></ul> <h2 id="references">References</h2> <ol> <li id="fn:1"><p>Rooftop Solar Photovoltaic Technical Potential in the United States <a href="http://www.nrel.gov/docs/fy16osti/65586.pdf" target="_blank">http://www.nrel.gov/docs/fy16osti/65586.pdf</a> <a href="#fnref:1" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:2"><p>"Alabama Solar". Solar Energy Industries Association. Retrieved 2021-08-29. <a href="https://www.seia.org/state-solar-policy/alabama-solar" target="_blank">https://www.seia.org/state-solar-policy/alabama-solar</a> <a href="#fnref:2" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:3"><p>Freeing the grid <a href="http://www.newenergychoices.org/uploads/FreeingTheGrid2011.pdf" target="_blank">http://www.newenergychoices.org/uploads/FreeingTheGrid2011.pdf</a> <a href="#fnref:3" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:4"><p>Net Metering and Interconnection Procedures Incorporating Best Practices <a href="http://irecusa.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/ASES-2009-Paper-0131-net-metering-and-IC-best-practices-1.pdf" target="_blank">http://irecusa.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/ASES-2009-Paper-0131-net-metering-and-IC-best-practices-1.pdf</a> <a href="#fnref:4" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:5"><p>Solar demonstration Archived 2012-06-18 at the Wayback Machine <a href="http://www.buildingdashboard.com/clients/alabamapower/" target="_blank">http://www.buildingdashboard.com/clients/alabamapower/</a> <a href="#fnref:5" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:6"><p>Purchase of Alternate Energy <a href="http://www.alabamapower.com/pricing/pdf/PAE.pdf" target="_blank">http://www.alabamapower.com/pricing/pdf/PAE.pdf</a> <a href="#fnref:6" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:7"><p>Time Advantage Rates FAQs <a href="http://www.alabamapower.com/pricing/time-advantage-faq.asp" target="_blank">http://www.alabamapower.com/pricing/time-advantage-faq.asp</a> <a href="#fnref:7" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:8"><p>Time Advantage Rate <a href="http://www.alabamapower.com/pricing/time-advantage-rate.asp" target="_blank">http://www.alabamapower.com/pricing/time-advantage-rate.asp</a> <a href="#fnref:8" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:9"><p>Community center now home to one of Alabama’s largest solar power systems <a href="http://www.bridgethegulfproject.org/node/201" target="_blank">http://www.bridgethegulfproject.org/node/201</a> <a href="#fnref:9" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:10"><p>Realtime output <a href="http://www.sunnyportal.com/Templates/PublicPageOverview.aspx?plant=4ec2c8a8-da16-4ae7-9126-5d9e607d4df1&splang=en-US" target="_blank">http://www.sunnyportal.com/Templates/PublicPageOverview.aspx?plant=4ec2c8a8-da16-4ae7-9126-5d9e607d4df1&splang=en-US</a> <a href="#fnref:10" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:11"><p>Alabama Focus on Solar Energy <a href="http://www.solarenergy.net/News/2171002-alabama-focus-on-solar-energy.aspx" target="_blank">http://www.solarenergy.net/News/2171002-alabama-focus-on-solar-energy.aspx</a> <a href="#fnref:11" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:12"><p>Anniston Museum Energy and Power <a href="http://www.sunnyportal.com/Templates/PublicPageOverview.aspx?page=ea993c52-e7da-401e-bd30-bf88da12cb16&plant=169c61d3-8a8b-4524-af5f-835c3708980f&splang=en-US" target="_blank">http://www.sunnyportal.com/Templates/PublicPageOverview.aspx?page=ea993c52-e7da-401e-bd30-bf88da12cb16&plant=169c61d3-8a8b-4524-af5f-835c3708980f&splang=en-US</a> <a href="#fnref:12" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:13"><p>"Alabama Solar". Solar Energy Industries Association. Retrieved 2021-08-29. <a href="https://www.seia.org/state-solar-policy/alabama-solar" target="_blank">https://www.seia.org/state-solar-policy/alabama-solar</a> <a href="#fnref:13" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:14"><p>Hanley, Steve (2017-03-19). "The Largest Solar Farm In Alabama Is Now Online". CleanTechnica. Retrieved 2021-08-29. <a href="https://cleantechnica.com/2017/03/19/largest-solar-farm-alabama-now-online/" target="_blank">https://cleantechnica.com/2017/03/19/largest-solar-farm-alabama-now-online/</a> <a href="#fnref:14" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:15"><p>"AL Solar". Swinerton Renewable Energy. 2021. Retrieved 2021-08-29. <a href="https://www.swinertonrenewable.com/projects/al-solar" target="_blank">https://www.swinertonrenewable.com/projects/al-solar</a> <a href="#fnref:15" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:16"><p>Pillon, Dennis (2018-03-16). "Alabama's largest solar farm unveiled to public". al.com. Retrieved 2021-08-29. <a href="https://www.al.com/news/2018/03/alabamas_largest_solar_farm_un.html" target="_blank">https://www.al.com/news/2018/03/alabamas_largest_solar_farm_un.html</a> <a href="#fnref:16" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:17"><p>Staff Reports (2017-12-22). "Swinerton Solar Energy completion of the LaFayette Solar Farm". Valley Times-News. Retrieved 2021-08-29. <a href="https://www.valleytimes-news.com/2017/12/swinerton-solar-energy-completion-of-the-lafayette-solar-farm/" target="_blank">https://www.valleytimes-news.com/2017/12/swinerton-solar-energy-completion-of-the-lafayette-solar-farm/</a> <a href="#fnref:17" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:18"><p>Bruggers, James (2021-08-25). "Rural Electric Co-ops in Alabama Remain Way Behind the Solar Curve". Inside Climate News. Retrieved 2021-08-29. <a href="https://insideclimatenews.org/news/25082021/rural-electric-co-ops-alabama-solar/" target="_blank">https://insideclimatenews.org/news/25082021/rural-electric-co-ops-alabama-solar/</a> <a href="#fnref:18" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:19"><p>"Outsourcing? Not LG – Our Solar Panels are Made by Us". LG USA. Retrieved 2021-08-29. <a href="https://www.lg.com/us/solar/blog/outsourcing-not-lg-our-solar-panels-are-made-by-us" target="_blank">https://www.lg.com/us/solar/blog/outsourcing-not-lg-our-solar-panels-are-made-by-us</a> <a href="#fnref:19" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:20"><p>"Huntsville's Future Brightens with LG's New Solar Panel Plant". City of Huntsville. 2018-06-27. Retrieved 2021-08-29. <a href="https://www.huntsvilleal.gov/huntsvilles-future-brightens-with-lgs-new-solar-panel-plant/" target="_blank">https://www.huntsvilleal.gov/huntsvilles-future-brightens-with-lgs-new-solar-panel-plant/</a> <a href="#fnref:20" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:21"><p>"PV Watts". NREL. Retrieved 12 June 2012. <a href="http://rredc.nrel.gov/solar/calculators/PVWATTS/version1/US/Alabama/Birmingham.html" target="_blank">http://rredc.nrel.gov/solar/calculators/PVWATTS/version1/US/Alabama/Birmingham.html</a> <a href="#fnref:21" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:22"><p>Sherwood, Larry (August 2012). "U.S. Solar Market Trends 2011" (PDF). Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-09-06. Retrieved 2012-08-16. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120906231846/http://www.irecusa.org/wp-content/uploads/IRECSolarMarketTrends-2012-web.pdf" target="_blank">https://web.archive.org/web/20120906231846/http://www.irecusa.org/wp-content/uploads/IRECSolarMarketTrends-2012-web.pdf</a> <a href="#fnref:22" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:23"><p>Sherwood, Larry (June 2011). "U.S. Solar Market Trends 2010" (PDF). Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC). p. 20. Retrieved 2011-06-29. <a href="http://irecusa.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/IREC-Solar-Market-Trends-Report-June-2011-web.pdf" target="_blank">http://irecusa.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/IREC-Solar-Market-Trends-Report-June-2011-web.pdf</a> <a href="#fnref:23" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:24"><p>Sherwood, Larry (July 2010). "U.S. Solar Market Trends 2009" (PDF). Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC). p. 23. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2010-09-25. Retrieved 2010-07-28. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20100925184512/http://irecusa.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/IREC-Solar-Market-Trends-Report-2010_7-27-10_web1.pdf" target="_blank">https://web.archive.org/web/20100925184512/http://irecusa.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/IREC-Solar-Market-Trends-Report-2010_7-27-10_web1.pdf</a> <a href="#fnref:24" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:25"><p>Sherwood, Larry (July 2009). "U.S. Solar Market Trends 2008" (PDF). Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC). p. 16. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2009-11-23. Retrieved 2010-07-24. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20091123030109/http://www.irecusa.org/fileadmin/user_upload/NationalOutreachDocs/SolarTrendsReports/IREC_Solar_Market_Trends_Report_2008.pdf" target="_blank">https://web.archive.org/web/20091123030109/http://www.irecusa.org/fileadmin/user_upload/NationalOutreachDocs/SolarTrendsReports/IREC_Solar_Market_Trends_Report_2008.pdf</a> <a href="#fnref:25" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:26"><p>Sherwood, Larry (July 2012). "U.S. Solar Market Trends 2012" (PDF). Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC). p. 16. Retrieved 2013-10-11. <a href="http://www.irecusa.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/Solar-Report-Final-July-2013-1.pdf" target="_blank">http://www.irecusa.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/Solar-Report-Final-July-2013-1.pdf</a> <a href="#fnref:26" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:27"><p>Sherwood, Larry (July 2014). "U.S. Solar Market Trends 2013" (PDF). Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC). Retrieved 2014-09-26. <a href="http://www.irecusa.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/Final-Solar-Report-7-3-14-W-2-8.pdf" target="_blank">http://www.irecusa.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/Final-Solar-Report-7-3-14-W-2-8.pdf</a> <a href="#fnref:27" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:28"><p>Alabama Solar <a href="https://www.seia.org/state-solar-policy/alabama-solar" target="_blank">https://www.seia.org/state-solar-policy/alabama-solar</a> <a href="#fnref:28" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:29"><p>"Electricity Data Browser". U.S. Department of Energy. March 28, 2018. Retrieved October 11, 2021. <a href="http://www.eia.gov/electricity/data/browser/" target="_blank">http://www.eia.gov/electricity/data/browser/</a> <a href="#fnref:29" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> </ol>