Description

The Eugene Water & Electric Board (EWEB) began the PV Partners program in 2000. The program’s broad goal was to develop and implement an education and demonstration program of distributed solar electric technology as the first step leading to wide spread use of distributed photovoltaic resources in Eugene, Oregon. The program’s objectives included public education, testing of utility interconnection standards and policies, identification of the value and benefits to EWEB and individual customers, and exploration of funding opportunities and partnerships.

The PV Partners program gives all customers, within EWEB’s service territory, the opportunity to generate electricity (from photovoltaic sources only), offset their electric needs and receive credit for any excess electricity generated. The systems are net-metered, using a single meter that is capable of running backwards. PV Partners receives the full benefit of the electricity generated by the systems. The policy describes the three methods that the excess generation may be credited. The excess generation rate is $ .06181 per kWh. To date, partially because of system size and/or length time installed, there has not been a customer with net excess generation. Accounts are manually monitored and trued up on an annual basis.

Currently, 5 residential customers, 1 commercial customer, 1 non-profit customer and 3 schools have installed photovoltaic systems totalling 30.6 kW. The goal is to install 90 kW by 2006. There is no minimum size requirement for each system. The maximum size limit for PV Partners is 25KW which corresponds with the net-metering legislation. Systems above 25KW would be individually assessed for interconnection.