Picking up the California wind rebate

[rebel heart]

Just curious if anyone knows anything about this:

California's Emerging Renewables Program Information

Essentially it says that if you install a wind generator, you can get $2.50/watt rebate. On an AIR X, that's roughly $1000 (400W X $2.50). The only catch I'm reading is this line:

Eligible renewable energy systems must be permanently interconnected to the electrical distribution grid of the utility serving the customer's electrical load. The site where the system is installed must receive electrical distribution service from PG&E, SCE, SDG&E, or BVE.

I don't think a shore power cable constitutes "permanent". And it makes sense for a California program for the electrical benefit to stay in California. Anyway, just wondering if anyone had any ideas.

[Pblais]

must be permanently interconnected to the electrical distribution grid

I think they want to be sure you'll stick around for a while. Since you could pull the plug and sail off I doubt they will want to go for it. They have in mind the larger units mounted on larger poles in the back yard some place connected to a major utilitiy company.

[senormechanico]

I don't think you have a ghost of a chance. It's intended that your generated power is fed back to the grid. You would need more than just the wind generator.

I have a wind generator, big AGM battery bank, transfer switch and inverter in my house, but it's not an intertie system. In other words, I don't feed excess back to the grid, I just have automatic backup power when the grid fails me (often during winter wind storms). Even all that wouldn't qualify for any kind of a rebate.

Steve B.