Overview of solar power in the U.S. state of Alabama
Solar panels
Solar power in Alabama on rooftops could theoretically provide 29.8% of all electricity used in Alabama, with 20,400 MW of solar panels potentially installed on rooftops.[1]
Alabama was ranked 50th among US states for solar power in 2020, and 35th in Q1 of 2021, with .027% of the state's power generated by solar.[2]
Net metering
Offering net metering 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.[3]IREC best practices, based on experience, recommends no limits to net metering, individual or aggregate, and perpetual roll over of kWh credits.[4]
Alabama Power has installed four types of solar panels in Birmingham that can be monitored on the Internet.[5] 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.[6] Peak power rates are weekdays, 1 to 7 pm in summer and 5 to 9 am in winter.[7] 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.[8]
Solar power projects
In 2010, one of Alabama's largest solar arrays was the 25 kW system installed at the Coastal Response Center, in Coden, Alabama.[9][10] A $250,000 economic stimulus grant was used to install 156 solar panels on Anniston's Museum of Natural History, which was completed on August 24, 2011.[11] The output of this 25.2 kW system can also be monitored online.[12]
River Bend Solar, completed in 2016, contributes 75 MW capacity to the TVA power grid, and reduces carbon emissions by 100,000 tons annually.[2][13]
^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.
^Sherwood, Larry (June 2011). "U.S. Solar Market Trends 2010"(PDF). Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC). p. 20. Retrieved 2011-06-29.
^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.
^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.
^Sherwood, Larry (July 2012). "U.S. Solar Market Trends 2012"(PDF). Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC). p. 16. Retrieved 2013-10-11.
^Sherwood, Larry (July 2014). "U.S. Solar Market Trends 2013"(PDF). Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC). Retrieved 2014-09-26.
