Rural Electric cooperatives, municipalities and investor-owned utilities can all benefit by including wind or solar energy in their generation mix. In many cases the cost of wind energy is actually lower than new fossil-based power generation. Karbon Zero provides the experience to create and maintain a commercial scale project that will serve your current and future needs for renewable energy. With our broad spectrum of development activities from land acquisition to project financing, we will work with you for the timely and efficient development of your long-term, renewable energy project.

Benefits of renewable power integration for rural electric cooperatives, municipalities, and utilities.

• Meeting RPS goals: Many local governments have enacted Renewable Energy Portfolio Standards (RPS) to lead their communities into a greener world. When a Coop or municipal utility erects a wind turbine or solar farm, it makes a marked impact on RPS goals and acts as a visible commitment to the community.
• Green economy: Your community-based energy project, and each new installation it fosters, will bring high value engineering and construction jobs to your local community.
• Lower operational costs: See your electrical costs drop the second your project goes live.
• Tax payer benefits: When infrastructure costs go down, Coop members and municipal residents benefit with balanced budgets and a lower tax burden.
• Stable cost of power: You’ll know what your electricity will cost for 20 years or more so you can safeguard your budget against the volatile and increasing costs of energy.
• Educational opportunities: A wind turbine or solar system in your community’s backyard offers experiential science, math, civic, and environmental lessons for local schoolchildren. 
• Energy independence: Locally produced energy empowers communities to take control of their energy future.

Incentives and Financing Options for Integrating Wind or Solar Power into your Energy mix.

• State grants and incentives: Most States now offer incentives for renewable energy projects, and several have either specifically tailored incentives to non-profit Coops and municipalities or add a multiplier to existing incentives. Combined with the 0% CREB bonds, and/or local private funding you can realize energy independence with little or no out-of-pocket costs.
• Clean Energy Bonds: CREBs are zero-interest loans available to rural electric cooperatives and municipalities. With a zero-interest loan, you can use your electricity savings to make loan payments so your budget is not adversely affected.
• Municipal bonding: Municipal utilities can bond separately for their project just as they would a new municipal building or capital equipment purchase.
• Private funding: Private businesses can take advantage of some incentives that are not available to non-profit cooperatives and municipalities. A 30% Investment Tax Credit and five-year accelerated depreciation are available to companies with a tax appetite.
• KZ PPA: Our proprietary power purchase agreement (PPA) is structured so that for-profit companies can take advantage of tax breaks and other incentives that are not available to non-profit entities and pass them on. This option allows rural electric cooperatives and municipalities to reap the benefits of renewable energy with little to no money down and includes the operation and maintenance of the system.

The Karbon Zero team can help you navigate through some of the incentives available to you. Please Contact Us today for more information.