The Los Angeles Board of Commissioners of the Department of Water and Power (LADWP) approved new guidelines for the Solar Photovoltaic (PV) Rebate Program. The program, which remains hindered by limited funds, will shift to a performance-based incentive structure.

The program assists the LADWP in achieving its goal of providing 20 percent of its energy from renewable sources by 2010. The new program uses the solar PV systems’ design to determine the incentive payment. In addition, the new program includes two separate funding categories, which LADWP said will ensure equitable distribution of incentive funds.

The revised program is design based, and rebate amounts are based on the estimated PV system output, rather than system size, as in the past. Interested customers can visit the LADWP Web site (www.ladwp.com) and use an online calculating tool to estimate individual PV systems output and calculate the potential rebate amount.

LADWP’s 10-year, $150 million solar PV buy-down rebate program, which began in 2000 and runs through June 2011, encourages residents and businesses to use clean, renewable energy by providing rebates that reduce the cost of installing solar electric systems.

The program will be reviewed to see if adjustments need to be made in the future, so it aligns more with the recently announced California Solar Initiative that will be implemented in 2007.