6) Finishing - Inspections, Activation, Approvals, Incentives and Rebates
Inspections
Schedule inspections by your town building inspector. The inspection approval is required before you can apply for permission to connect your system to the grid and activate it.
Activation
Net Meter Installation
Once your inspections are done, request installation of a Net Meter from the power company
Note: not only are you not allowed to begin sending power into the grid without the Net Meter, if you did then because of the way your normal meter works you would actually be paying the power company for the power you generate.
Grid Connection
Once you have the Net Meter installed and permission from your power company, you can connect your system to the grid, which activates the microinverters and begins producing power.
Set up your system and configure monitoring at Enlighten (if Enphase micorinverters), and install the smartphone app so you can see your production any time.
Add your system to the HAREI production monitor.
Enjoy the savings and the great feeling of doing your part to save the planet!
New Hampshire Rebate
File the followup application to collect your New Hampshire rebate (you'll get the instructions for this when you file the preliminary application).
Federal Tax Credit
Apply for the 30% Federal Tax Credit when you file your tax return for the tax year that your system came online.
Local Property Tax AbatementÂ
Property taxes are handled differently town to town. In almost all Hillsborough County towns solar arrays are not taxed. Check with your town clerk on the procedure necessary to have the value of your array removed from the assessment update that occurs after any permitted building project.
Renewable Energy Certificates
Register with an independent auditor for creating your RECs, and with an auction sales agent for selling them.
Most HAREI systems are signed up with Knollwood Energy or SRECTrade ; they are a brokers who manages the registration and sale of your RECs on the Massachursetts REC marketplace.