Gainesville Regional Utilities, the municipal utility serving the Florida city of Gainesville, launched its solar photovoltaic (PV) feed-in tariff program in early 2009. The city’s program set a cap of 4 MW of solar PV through 2016 and the program is fully subscribed.
Although it focuses on a single technology, the Gainesville program is a robust feed-in tariff for solar. The prices are based on the cost of generation plus a small profit, are differentiated by both size and the location (roof-mounted or free standing) and contracts are for 20 years. The initial price for a building/pavement-mounted or smaller than 25 kW free standing PV array was $0.32 per kWh. Free standing solar arrays larger than 25 kW received $0.26. The prices decrease on a schedule through 2016, to $0.23 and $0.19, respectively. The full policy details can be found here.
The Gainesville program was the first feed-in tariff in the United States and has already been fully subscribed through 2016. Customers will still have the option of installing solar with the utility’s rebate and net metering the electricity.
