Misleading Inquirer Article muddies the TRUTH About the PA Alternative Energy Tax Credit

This past Sunday, a misleading article was published in the Philadelphia Inquirer. As a result of the calls and emails that have been coming in from solar clients and potential clients, SunPower would like to clear up any misunderstanding as a result of this article, “PA Quietly Drops Alternative Energy Tax Credit."
Please see our LETTER TO THE EDITOR:
14 June, 2010

To Whom it May Concern:

We, members of the PA solar industry, are disappointed in the misleading nature of this weekend’s article on the PA 15% alternative energy investment tax credit. Based on the large number of calls and emails many PA solar service providers have received, many readers were apparently left with the mis-impression that the popular PA Sunshine Program (which provides direct rebates) was somehow curtailed. Only the short-lived PA investment tax credit has been removed.

The 15% PA tax credit was only applicable to a handful installations that took place between the previous grant availability and the opening of the Sunshine Program…there was a 3 month window in which to qualify and was not at all a large incentive in the grand scheme of alternative energy incentives. Importantly, those that were under the impression that they were eligible for the tax credit were misled by ill-informed salespeople – consumers should be more concerned about finding a qualified contractor.

We would like to set the record straight, that the $180 million set aside for the PA Sunshine Program through a BOND (not through the General Fund or other fluid financial mechanism) is not going to disappear without notice. On the contrary, once a qualified project receives a rebate reservation, it is just that, reserved. We, the PA solar industry, hope to reassure existing and future solar enthusiasts in PA that the funds they rely upon to finance their projects are not exhausted until the $180 million has been fully allocated. The Federal tax credit, similarly, has been legislated by the Federal Government through 2016.

Respectfully,

The Pennsylvania Solar Energy Industries Association (http://www.mseia.net/)

With special input from:

Andrew Kleeman, Mercury Solar Systems
Kira Costanza, SunPower Builders
Nick Baker, Aztec Solar Power
Nate Ruhl, MT Ruhl Electrical Contractors