One of the most important factors in solar energy adoption has been producer rebates from local electric service providers. A typical residential installation may cost $7.00 per watt before rebates or credits. Electric providers offer customers a per watt solar producer rebates to encourage renewable energy and meet renewable production goals; the reason electric customers are only paid a solar power generation rebate for an interconnected (grid-tied) solar system. These rebates are one of the primary underlying motivators for Austin Energy customers and have been adopted and expanded Texas wide for Oncor customers and San Antonio area CPS Energy customers. The final incentive is the 30% Federal tax credit on the remaining balance for systems and installation costs.

In general solar producer rebate rates vary across Texas but are becoming widely available for most customers due to a groundswell of interest in renewable energy. One of the most notable examples of the public commitment to renewable energy is the City of San Antonio's major solar power initiative that seeks to offset expanded electric generation needs from coal-fired power plants with clean efficient solar. Strong financial incentives in the form of rebates and efficiency programs form a two-part strategy to help meet long-term electric needs for a major US city.

In these uncertain times, a perfect combination of factors are making renewable energy a sound choice for homeowners and business seeking to manage the costs and consequences of energy choices for every Texan. The lowest costs ever in solar equipment and strong policy measures make solar a wise investment and a good hedge on potential energy inflation costs. Given the long lasting performance of modern solar arrays, a reasonable return on investment can be expected over the lifetime of a solar PV system with little maintenance required. The solid promise of a modest return on investment for our customers is what the Texas solar industry is banking on for years to come.