Once a Project is completed, Applicants may request payment of the CSI Incentive amount listed on their Incentive Claim Form. A Project is considered completed when it is completely installed, interconnected, permitted, paid for, and capable of producing electricity in the manner and in the amounts for which it was designed. In the case of PBI projects, metering systems must be installed and fully functioning at the time of the Incentive Claim Form submittal. To receive the CSI Incentive, all CSI Program requirements must be met and a complete Incentive Claim Form package submitted prior to the Reservation Expiration Date. Applicants are advised to keep a copy of the Incentive Claim Form package along with all required documentation for their records. The Application Process sections and Section 4.11.3 contain more detailed information on the Incentive Claim Form package and submittal process. The Program Administrator processes completed Incentive Claim Form packages on a first-come, first-served basis.
California Solar Initiative Program
The Program Administrator reserves the right to withhold final CSI Incentive payment pending review and approval of the incentive claim documentation and field inspection results if that Project is determined to require a field inspection.
The SASH Program has its own incentive payment process, described below in Appendix D.
4.7.1
Incomplete Incentive Claim Form Packages
If an Incentive Claim Form package is incomplete or is found to require clarification, the
Program Administrator will request the information necessary to process that application further. Applicants have 14 calendar days to respond to the requested clarification with the necessary information.
If after 14 calendar days, the Applicant has not submitted the requested information, the request for payment may be denied.
If an Incentive Claim Form package is not received by the expiration date of the Incentive Claim Form, or the Incentive Claim Form package indicates that the Project is otherwise ineligible, the Program Administrator will send a written notice stating the reasons why the Project is ineligible and the Project will be rejected. If this is the case, the Applicant or Host Customer may reapply for a CSI Incentive reservation but will be subject to the eligibility requirements, incentive levels, and funding available at that time of reapplication.
4.7.2 Incentive Check Payment and Terms
Upon final approval of the Incentive Claim Form documentation and completed field verification visit (if required), the Program Administrator will issue the CSI Incentive payment. Payment will be made to the Host Customer or a third party as indicated on the IncentiveClaim Form, and will be mailed to the address provided. In cases where the contractor is the designated payee but the license is expired or suspended, see section 2.1.4.1 for the payee designation process. As the reservation holder, the Host Customer may assign payment to a third party on the Incentive Claim Form. The payee must submit their tax ID number and tax status to the Program Administrator.
4.7.2.1 Expected Performance Based Buydown (EPBB) Incentive
Payment Terms
Most residential systems will receive an EPBB Incentive. The EPBB Incentive will be a one-time lump sum payment to help reduce the cost of installing a residential PV system. Upon final approval of the Incentive Claim Form package and completed field inspection visit, if applicable, the Program Administrator will issue the CSI Incentive in approximately 30 days.
The EPBB payment shall be calculated according to Section 3.2 and noted on the Incentive Claim Form, provided no adjustments to the system size or estimated output are warranted after system inspection.
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Please review Section 4.8 for information on potential system size changes affecting the incentive amount.
The lump sum EPBB Incentive payment issued constitutes final and complete payment.
4.7.2.2 Performance Based Incentive (PBI) Payment Terms
In 2007, CSI Incentives for systems equal to or greater than 100 kW, or systems less than 100 kW who elect to opt in, will receive Performance Based Incentive (PBI) payments. As of January 1, 2008, PBI is required for systems 50 kW or larger and 30 kW or larger on January 1, 2010. PBI will be paid based on:
A. The monthly gross kWh produced by the system for electric generation systems B. The monthly net kWh-equivalent displaced by the other solar electric generating
technology
PBI payments will be made monthly and paid out over a period ranging from two-five years. 50 The monthly PBI payment shall be calculated as follows:
Solar Electric Generating:
Monthly PBI Incentive Payment = Reserved Incentive Rate x Measured gross kWh Output51
“Lump Sum” Buyout Amount52 = (Remaining kWh) X (Reserved Rate) Solar Electric Displacing:
Monthly PBI Incentive Payment = Reserved Incentive Rate x measured net kWh- equivalent displacement.
Upon final approval of the Incentive Claim Form documentation and completed field verification visit, if applicable, the Program Administrator will issue the first PBI payment approximately 30 days after receipt of the first scheduled meter read from the project PDP. PBI payments will continue to be paid following the receipt of performance data reports submitted by the PDP on a monthly basis for the next 24-59 months (two-five years total).
Additionally, the PAs will disburse payment(s) based on a retroactive data report(s) from the project PDP contingent upon the following criteria:
A. All pertinent ICF documentation was submitted correctly by the Reservation Expiration Date; and
B. First field inspection was passed with no compliance issues.
50Please refer to Section 3.3. for PBI reporting durations.
51 Because the CSI Program and statutes only allow for customers to receive incentives up to the first MW, PBI
payments for energy output on systems larger than 1 MW will be prorated based on the ratio of 1 MW to the entire size of the site. See Section 3.3 for further detail.
52 The “Lump Sum Buyout” applies to PBI projects eligible for the “Expedited Buyout” PBI Incentive Structure, post
CSI sunset. Refer to section 3.3.1 for eligibility requirements and definitions of (Remaining kWh) and (Reserved Rate).
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Should a project fail the first field inspection, the start of the data report period for PBI payments will be retroactive to first PBI Payment Cycle following the approved field inspection date only if all pertinent Incentive Claim Form documentation was submitted correctly by the Reservation Expiration Date.
Should an Applicant fail to submit all pertinent Incentive Claim Form documentation (any documentation pertaining to the installed system or Performance Data Provider) by the Reservation Expiration Date, PBI payments will not be retroactive, but rather, the start of the data report period for Host Customer will be the first PBI Payment Cycle following Final
Approval of the Host Customer's project by the PA. Documentation failures pertain to non-trivial system information and signatures. Documentation failures do not include trivial mistakes that do not require submitting revised or additional information. Determination of documentation failures are at PA discretion. Any documentation revisions or submittals after the initial
submission will count as a documentation failure. Please note that retroactive payments will not exceed 180 days in time.
Should an Applicant or Contractor fail to install a functioning metering system before the ICF documentation is submitted that allows the PA to make an accurate incentive payment,
the installation will be considered incomplete by the PA and the project will be reverted back to the Confirmed Reservation status. If the project reservation is expired, the Contractor will have 30 days to install a functioning metering system and resubmit the ICF package. If, after this time, the metering system is non-operational, payment for the project will commence and the System Owner must forfeit any unreported system production. Additionally, a failure will be issued to bo
th
the Applicant and Contractor.
Payments will be made to the Applicant, Host Customer, or a third party as designated on the Incentive Claim Form. In cases where the contractor is the designated payee but the license is expired or suspended, see section 2.1.4.1 for the payee designation process. At the discretion of Program Administrators, payments may either be mailed to the address provided, wire transferred, or paid via credits on the utility bill.
If a monthly payment is determined to be incorrect due to a faulty meter read, the correction will be made in the next available payment period.
If a Host Customer moves during the applicable PBI reporting period, they must notify the Program Administrator, who may make subsequent adjustments to the CSI Program.
Upon receipt of final performance data reports for projects eligible for the Lump Sum Buyout, the PA will issue the Lump Sum Buyout approximately 45 days after receipt of the final scheduled meter read from the project PDP.
The 60th monthly PBI incentive payment, or PBI Lump Sum Buyout, constitutes final and complete payment.
California Solar Initiative Program