Solar Energy
UDWI strives to provide safe and reliable energy and understands there are options available to members for residential usage. The co-op is pro-renewable energy and supports its members in the choice to utilize solar systems.
For those making the decision to pursue solar installation, our team wants to provide members with the necessary information and offer guidance throughout the process.
Solar power is more affordable, accessible, and prevalent in the United States than ever before. The price of installing solar has declined by 43 percent over the last five years.
As with all forms of renewable energy, members and utility companies alike face pros and cons when choosing solar. Advantages of the system include lower energy bills, no air pollution or carbon dioxide emissions. Potential barriers to consider include the large amount of space needed for equipment, high initial/upfront costs associated with installation, and solar power doesn’t produce energy at night or on cloudy days, with less produced during the winter months as well. It is important to understand all these factors before making the decision to utilize solar systems.
UDWI does not sell solar panels or related solar equipment to its members. Instead, we will work with interested members to provide them with the information they need to determine if a solar system works for them. UDWI will assist members in the process of safely installing their solar system and getting it connected to UDWI’s distribution system.
Members interested in solar are encouraged to contact our office to start the process by filling out an interconnection application. As you work through the process, we want to remain in contact to follow the progress, offer support and ensure your safety as well as the safety of our linemen post-installation. Our application offers a complete list of requirements and follows industry standards.
If members choose to utilize a solar system at their residence or business, they are responsible for the installation and maintenance cost. However, if more solar energy is produced than used by the member, UDWI will buy the energy back at their avoided cost. This avoided cost rate is based on what UDWI would have paid to Hoosier Energy, our power supply provider, for an equivalent amount of energy.
If you are interested or have questions about solar, or want to start the installation process, please contact our office for more information. Feel free to send us an email at solar@udwiremc.com.
Be aware of scams when purchasing solar!
With the increasing popularity of solar, customers should be aware that some businesses may try to take advantage of customers who are interested in pursuing it as an option for their homes. We want to help our members avoid scams and work with a genuine company on their projects.
UDWI does not sell solar panels or related solar equipment to its members. Instead, we work with interested members to provide them with the information they need to determine if a solar system works for them. UDWI will assist members in the process of safely installing their solar system and getting it connected to UDWI’s distribution system.
Please take the necessary precautions to keep yourself away from a situation that may involve a scam and contact the UDWI Operations Department if you have any questions about our solar process.
Solar FAQs
Service will be through a single meter, with two registers that measure the delivered energy from UDWI to the member and the received energy from the member to UDWI.
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- Delivered energy is the total energy delivered to a member from UDWI during the billing cycle.
- Received energy is the total surplus energy received by UDWI during the billing cycle from the solar system overproduction.
No, UDWI does not have access to your solar panels’ performance or production data. UDWI is unable to view anything relating to what your home is consuming from the solar panels and what they generate. UDWI can only advise members of how much electricity they receive through UDWI and how much electricity they put back onto the power grid. Any discrepancies members may find between the information from their solar energy system and what UDWI is advising will need to be addressed with their contractor.
No, UDWI does not own or install solar panels. Members interested in solar will have to work with an outside company on the installation but should involve UDWI in the process.
Members who have solar installed at their homes will receive $0.0456 per kWh.
UDWI sets the payback rate based on the cost of power purchases that the cooperative avoids from its wholesale power supplier. For every unit of energy supplied by a member, the cooperative avoids having to buy a unit of energy from Hoosier Energy, our wholesale power supplier. UDWI passes those cost savings on to the customer by setting the payback rate equal to the avoided wholesale energy cost. Instead of paying Hoosier Energy for that unit of energy, the cooperative pays the member.
If solar is installed at your home, your bill will have two groups of readings at the top. The first is the energy delivered from the cooperative to your home, and the second is energy received from the member. The credit will show up as “Net Metering”.
- Please note: The Net Metering line item will only appear if UDWI received energy from the member. If the line item is not there, that means the member didn’t generate anything as a “surplus” to UDWI. Please contact our office with questions.
While UDWI strongly suggests you discuss this with your insurance company, we have no additional insurance requirements at this time. We do reserve the right to require additional insurance at a later time, should it become necessary or required.
UDWI requires a few safety measures for solar systems. An approved inverter must be used to ensure that it can properly tie to the grid safely and that the system will isolate itself from the grid during an outage. If the system doesn’t isolate, it can put power back on the grid, which could be fatal if someone came in contact with it. Since power outages often involve broken lines, this can be a real safety issue.
- UDWI also requires a lockable, visible open disconnect to be installed between the system and our meter. This disconnect, which has to be available to linemen at all times, ensures that they can properly isolate the system if needed to work on the lines.
Visit www.udwiremc.com/solar-savings-tool to learn more about your potential savings!
- Tips and Tricks for Solar
- What to Look for in Your Solar Research
- UDWI’s Solar Process Recommendations
Tips and Tricks for Solar
If you’re interested in pursuing solar, please consider the following tips to avoid falling for a scam:
- Contact UDWI to talk through your decision to install solar. We want to help you feel confident in your decision and will help you understand the many factors of your choice.
- Get a minimum of three quotes from different solar companies to make sure you are getting a competitive offer. Research is extremely important for this type of project.
- Look for online reviews for the companies you are interested in working with, and check their business on the Better Business Bureau website. Reputable companies will have an online presence and can be found easily.
- If a deal sounds too good to be true, it most likely is. Use your best judgment when consulting with potential companies, and contact UDWI with questions you may have.
- Don’t let a salesperson use confusing language or fear tactics trick you into a deal. A good deal will not require you to make a quick decision on whether you want to pursue the deal.
- Before signing a contract, ensure that you are able to understand the language that is being used. If you were promised something during negotiation or consultation, make sure it is included in the contract.
What to Look for in Your Solar Research
5 Things to watch for as you research solar system providers:
- Installers who make false claims about excessive annual utility rate increases
- Installers who say NOT to contact your electric cooperative
- Misleading projected savings
- Deceptive sales tactics that push you to make a decision or sign a contract before you do your own research
- False claims that you will have no utility bills or will make money from energy generated
UDWI’s Solar Process Recommendations
- Reach out to the UDWI team for information on eligibility, application, and contract. The UDWI team can also provide historical usage information by the hour, day, or month to help installers determine the impact of a solar system.
- Get a minimum of three quotes from different solar companies to make sure you are getting a competitive offer. Research is extremely important for this type of project. Look for online reviews for the companies you are interested in working with and check their business on the Better Business Bureau website. Reputable companies will have an online presence and can be found easily.
- Once you have selected a solar company, fill out UDWI’s solar application PRIOR to installation. There is no application fee, and applications are typically processed in 1-2 business days.
- Once the system is installed and the contract has been completed, UDWI’s metering team will travel to the site, test that the system properly isolates from the grid in case of an outage, and replace your meter with one capable of recording energy in both directions.