City of College Station

Yes. The permit fee for solar installations is $650 for commercial accounts and $550 for residential accounts. Planning and Development Services issues permits to industry-certified installers.

In addition to the permit, an interconnection agreement with the city is required.

• Solar Panel Checklist (PDF)
• Permit Application
• Interconnection Agreement Form (PDF)
• Electronic Consent Form

Costs vary based on various factors, including roof space, roof orientation, system size, etc. About $3 per watt is a good starting cost point. We always recommend getting more than one quote from contractors.

No. The City had a solar incentive program in 2009 when costs were around $8 per solar watt. When solar equipment costs decreased significantly, the incentive was discontinued.

Solar panels absorb the sun's energy throughout the day and convert it to direct current (DC) electricity. Most homes and businesses run on alternating current (AC) electricity, so the DC electricity is then passed through an inverter to convert it to usable AC electricity. At that point, you either use the electricity in your house or send it back to the electric grid.

No. The city purchases overproduction from solar customers at a wholesale electric rate. The current purchase rate is $0.0549 per kWh. When the customer’s system routes overproduction to the electric grid, the city purchases the power as it occurs.

Electricity production varies based on several factors. The industry average is between 1200-1500 kWh annually per 1000 watts (kW) of solar system.

Yes. The city has a two-meter requirement for systems in College Station Utilities’ electric service territory. After the installation is complete and inspected, CSU will install a new bi-directional meter and a new solar meter that captures total solar production.

Yes. Customers in the City of College Station electric service territory will receive a utility bill, which includes electric service. Customers with grid tied solar systems will have an additional line item on their statement detailing the solar portion of the meter reading. Over production purchased by the City will be noted as a “CKWH” credit on the billing statement.

Purchasing either an HVAC system or solar system is a significant purchase. Both save energy, and the choice is personal. We recommend that buyers get more than one estimate for either situation. Customers install solar systems for many reasons, especially energy savings. In Central Texas, most folks agree that air conditioning is a necessity.

Yes, during daylight hours. The amount of power your solar system can generate is dependent on available sunlight. As a result, your production will typically be less during days when the weather is cloudy.

If your solar system is connected to the grid, it will automatically shut off in the event of an outage. This safety function protects electric utility personnel, first responders, and anyone else from being injured from the solar system back feeding to the grid.

Yes, it is possible, but not likely. At a minimum, going off-grid typically requires battery storage, which will significantly increase the upfront cost of the solar system.

The physical size of your solar system will depend on available roof space.

Some of the factors that determine available roof space are:

• Roof type
• Pitch of the roof
• Existing penetrations in the roof
• Solar orientation