Renewable Energy
Join Today!
How to Go Solar
The Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) “Residential Consumer Guide to Solar Power” is intended to provide clarity and understanding to consumers in going solar, including the questions to ask of your installer, resources to check out for more information, etc. SEIA worked with the legal staffs of about a dozen leading companies across the solar field to make sure this was done right. With solar still a new energy choice for many homeowners, it’s very important that consumers have tools like this at their disposal.
By expanding reliance on renewable sources of energy, Arkansas can create jobs, diversify the state’s energy portfolio and expand affordable energy choices for Arkansas consumers.
In 2013, AAEA led policy initiatives that saw an expansion of the state net metering rules along with new financing incentives that will encourage deployment of small commercial and residential renewable energy systems in Arkansas.
Neighboring states like Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Missouri have adopted statewide policies to harness their natural renewable energy resources like wind and solar to spur economic growth and secure long term stability for ratepayers from utility-scale wind and solar developments.
Arkansas generates about nine percent of the state’s electric power from renewable hydro energy dams. In addition, long term power purchases of Oklahoma and Kansas wind energy in 2012-13 by Southwestern Electric Power Co. (SWEPCO) and Arkansas Electric Cooperatives will expand long term, low-cost energy choices for Arkansas electric consumers.
AAEA is developing policy initiatives that expand in-state distributed and utility-scale renewable energy generation from wind, solar and biomass and expanded capacity for hydropower facilities. We believe that renewable energy is an important economic development tool for Arkansas that expands consumer access to a homegrown, clean energy supply.
In addition, AAEA recognizes the need for improvements in the state’s grid capacity and component manufacturing capacity to accommodate expanded reliance on renewable energy generation in Arkansas. We support public incentives for:
- Manufacture of transmission cable for carrying renewable generated electricity similar to those for wind component manufacturing in Arkansas;
- Manufacture of components utilized to store electricity produced by wind and solar;
- Installation of renewable energy components on commercial, industrial and residential properties;
- Storage facilities for electricity produced by wind and solar.