Alternative Energy FAQ

Solar communities are groups of solar panels kept at one location. They offer members an opportunity to invest in solar energy without the cost, hassle, and installation of solar equipment on their home. The return on their investment is shown as a credit on their electric bill.

Members are subscribing to the energy produced by the solar farm in relation to the number of kW units to which they subscribe.

The overall program term is 20 years. The minimum term participation is 2 years, and requires a 30-day notice of cancellation.

A member must subscribe to at least 1 kW unit, but cannot subscribe to more than 5 kW units.

While the cost of installing solar panels on a home varies greatly from house to house, YEC has attempted to keep the Community Solar pricing in line with the average cost of putting solar panels on a home.

YEC will use tax credits associated with the Community Solar program which are figured into the program’s pricing.

Yes! If your subscription produces more energy than your home consumes in one month, you will see a credit on your account, regardless of the amount.

If the community solar arrays are damaged during a storm, members will receive a proportionate share of the energy produced by any non-damaged panels while repairs are made.

Members subscribe to the output from YEC’s community solar site for a 20-year period, choosing the number of kilowatt (kW) units for their subscription. One kW unit will produce approximately 150 kWh per month. You can add more kW units at any time, as long as they are available.

When energy production begins, you will receive a portion of the production from the solar community each month, based on the number of kW unit subscriptions on your account.

Members pay a portion of the cost per kW unit upfront, then a monthly subscription fee is charged as a line item on the electric bill. The correlating output of the subscribed kW units is credited back to the member at 10¢ per kWh. Members pay a one-time $30 administrative fee for participating in the program.

• Subscriptions Upfront Charge: $100 per kW
• Monthly Unit Charge: $12 per kW subscription
• Monthly Credit: 10¢ per kWh
• One-time $30 administrative fee

Any YEC member in good standing may participate in the Community Solar program on a first come, first served basis. This excludes residential net metering and Advance Pay accounts.

YEC’s community solar array produces approximately 50 kW per month, which is roughly equivalent to the energy used by 7 average homes in YEC’s service area. However, it is important to note that solar production will vary from month to month based on weather and time of year.

If a Community Solar member moves from one home served by YEC to another home served by YEC, the solar energy subscription moves with the member.

If a member moves out of YEC’s service area, the subscription will terminate; the upfront charge paid upon beginning the program is not refundable.

• It saves customers money. Filling up an electric vehicle is cheaper than fueling a traditional car.
• The environment will benefit. Widespread adoption of electric vehicles will cut emissions.
• Energy independence. Electric vehicles reduce our dependence on foreign oil and will lead to more local jobs.

On site at our main headquarters, 1385 East Alexander Love Highway, York, SC

A lot can change in a year, but based on current fuel prices, probably 4 years. There are more models becoming available and as battery prices improve, the timeframe could shorten.

• Back in 2007, YEC began collecting data.
• YEC also collaborated with Duke on their plans and data collection; Duke energy currently has one of the nation’s largest fleets of plug-in electric vehicles and plug-in hybrid electric cars for research and development purposes. This includes vehicles from Toyota, Tesla, Ford, General Motors, Chrysler, Nissan, and the Southeast’s first plug-in hybrid electric utility “bucket” truck.
• In 2013, YEC developed an overall electric vehicle plan to include beta sites for in-home chargers and special electric rates to incentivize vehicle charging on non-peak times.
• In 2014, YEC implemented an electric-vehicle rate.

Your Green Power charge will be listed on your monthly electric bill as an additional line item.

Rates are set by York Electric’s Board of Directors and are subject to change.

York Electric Cooperative purchases power for our member-owners from Santee Cooper. The Power Content Label shows the resource mix projected for this year from Santee Cooper.

There is no termination fee.

None.

Green Power is electricity generated by renewable resources like the sun and methane gas that is found in landfills. These resources are replenished naturally. Green Power is generated by Santee Cooper and distributed by electric cooperatives across the state.

Green Power provides you a direct opportunity to help our environment by supporting electricity generated from renewable power sources. By voluntarily participating in the Green Power program, you and York Electric are proving your commitment to community by helping improve the environment.

Each 100 kilowatt-hour block will add a mere $3 to your monthly electric bill. One block (100 kWh) is approximately 10 percent of a typical household’s monthly energy use. There is no equipment to buy, and you won’t have to change your lifestyle one bit. You can sign up for as many blocks as you like, knowing that you are doing your part in helping the environment and making renewable resources and facilities a reality.

By trapping methane gas and turning it into useful energy, your electric cooperative is helping to rid the environment of a dangerous greenhouse gas. Fortunately, as fuel, the gas is a renewable energy and has no waste. What’s more, for just 2 dimes a day Green Power has the environmental impact of not driving a car for almost 3 months. (Source: EPA greenhouse gas equivalencies calculator using 200 kWh/month for the state of South Carolina.)

Member Services Department: 803-684-4248

Email

York Electric Cooperative, Inc.
P.O. Box 150, York, SC 29745

Drop by: Any local member services office

Usage rate: Your residential rate plus $3 for each 100kWh block of Green Power.

Taxes and Fees: You must also pay all applicable federal, state, and local taxes as well as any applicable fees.

• $86.50 2004 monthly electricity cost
• $ 3.00 Green Power premium
• $89.50 Total

The Green Power Program is voluntary. You can cancel or change your participation in Green Power at any time. There is no contract length.

There are currently 6 landfill methane gas facilities in South Carolina at Horry Solid Waste Authority, Lee County Landfill SC, LLC, Richland County Landfill, Anderson Regional Landfill SC, LLC, Georgetown County Landfill, and Berkeley County Landfill. The landfills have a combined total installed capacity of 30 MW. Also, there are 3 Green Power Solar demonstration projects in the state at Grand Strand Solar Station in Myrtle Beach, SC, Coastal Carolina University in Conway, SC, and The Technical College of the Lowcountry in Bluffton, SC. With 28 school-based, solar power sites throughout the state, we’re doing more to than spearheading the effort to convert sunlight into clean, pollution-free electricity for all of our customers. We’re educating tomorrow’s leaders about the opportunities and limitations of solar power. We are also exploring applications for smaller wind turbines onshore, and in November 2010, Santee Cooper made history as the first utility to install a wind turbine and connect it to the grid. The 2.4 kW Skystream wind turbine is located oceanfront in North Myrtle Beach.

South Carolina’s Green Power plant collects methane gas that would normally be released into the atmosphere – gases that possibly contribute to global warming – to be used as “green power” fuel.

Renewable resources produce little or no air pollution or waste. Better yet, some of them actually reduce air pollution and benefit the environment.

All revenue from the sale of Green Power is reinvested in future development of renewable energy resources such as solar energy and educational projects such as Solar Schools.

The renewable energy that you will be purchasing is not directly routed to your home, but by subscribing you are helping to support the purchase of additional clean energy and encouraging more investment statewide in environmentally friendly ways to generate power. For every environmentally-friendly kilowatt hour purchased by cooperative members, one less kilowatt hour is being purchased from other less environmentally friendly sources such as coal-based energy.

Not at all. The sun’s energy is a great, clean resource which we should utilize.

Yes! If your subscription produces more energy than your home consumes in one month, you will see a credit on your account, regardless of the amount.

Every year the cost of solar energy systems decreases. Even with these decreases, the cost justification is heavily dependent upon government tax credits. Presently payback ranges between 9 and 12 years, but this could change drastically if incentives were to increase or decrease.

They are Sharp panels and were made in Memphis, Tennessee.

Approximately 50KWH per day (on good days). On a good day, the solar panels will be able to supply the Fort Mill office and also put extra on the grid. YEC is putting all the electricity generated back on the grid instead of tying it back to the office. The panels have the potential to generate approximately half of the office’s use for a year.

The projected cost, which Santee Cooper is providing with monies generated from Green Power, is $35,449.