RI REF Grant? [Rhode Island Renewable Energy Fund]

[Rebel]

Has anyone here from RI attempt to get Tesla to apply for the REF Grant?
I order my panels 4/8 when they announced they would force you to buy powerwall and solar panel combo so I placed an order without powerwalls.

Since the process has been taking forever I was curious about other quotes locally and see what they had to offer and as expected most where 1.5 - 2x the price.
Upon discovering some of the proposals I guess RI has a REF (Renewable Energy Fund) Grant for our state.

Renewable Energy Fund | REF Grants, Programs & Materials

The Renewable Energy Fund (REF) is a program from Rhode Island Commerce that provides grants for renewable energy projects. REF helps to expand the use of clean energy and create jobs in the green technology sector.

commerceri.com

https://commerceri.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Small-Scale-Solar-Requests-for-Projects-12.30.19.pdf

Here is the requirement my solar plan will have 15.3kW with 43 Panels to be installed.

https://imgur.com/DDrL6JF

Reached out to my advisor to see if we can get the grant submitted that's an additional $7k off the total cost.

Wondering if anyone has tried doing this with Tesla and state grant programs? Or anyone in RI have Tesla solar panels that can comment on there experience?

 

[Mungfrog]

Has anyone here from RI attempt to get Tesla to apply for the REF Grant?
I order my panels 4/8 when they announced they would force you to buy powerwall and solar panel combo so I placed an order without powerwalls.

Since the process has been taking forever I was curious about other quotes locally and see what they had to offer and as expected most where 1.5 - 2x the price.
Upon discovering some of the proposals I guess RI has a REF (Renewable Energy Fund) Grant for our state.

Renewable Energy Fund | REF Grants, Programs & Materials

The Renewable Energy Fund (REF) is a program from Rhode Island Commerce that provides grants for renewable energy projects. REF helps to expand the use of clean energy and create jobs in the green technology sector.

commerceri.com

https://commerceri.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Small-Scale-Solar-Requests-for-Projects-12.30.19.pdf

Here is the requirement my solar plan will have 15.3kW with 43 Panels to be installed.

https://imgur.com/DDrL6JF

Reached out to my advisor to see if we can get the grant submitted that's an additional $7k off the total cost.

Wondering if anyone has tried doing this with Tesla and state grant programs? Or anyone in RI have Tesla solar panels that can comment on there experience?

Hi,
I am interested in this also . Did you get any further info from Tesla? Thanks Tom

 

[Er1c*]

The grant is really hard to get. I have installed two systems (one tesla, one not) applied both times and was denied. Apparently, your system needs to be able to guarantee a specific amount of energy for its size so it needs the perfect angle and orientation, which neither of my systems had. I did have Powerwalls installed and signed up for the connected solutions virtual power plant and receive about 4k a year in payment for that program.

 

[MassCustomer]

I tried to get a solar roof via Telsa in Cranston last Winter but they were not familiar with applying for the REF grant, so I ended up using a local installer. It took about 9 months to complete start to finish but happy with the outcome, even got an EV charger included with my inverter. When combined with the solar and grid output I get 40m/hr even in the RI winter.

 

[qnzkrew]

Lmao I have a long story about this but I’m lazy. Asked for this to be included in my system in august 2020 and they did the initial paperwork. Got my system installed in March 2021 and tesla could not for the life of them finish paper work for the grant. I went through like 5 advisors trying to get grant paperwork before the one year deadline from paperwork expired. Long story short they missed paperwork window and ended up paying me the grant money out of their pocket so I think they decided not to do it anymore because they could not handle doing paperwork which sucks because that’s an extra 7k available for Rhode Islanders. ALSO if you are in Rhode Island and are not getting batteries you are making a mistake. I have 2 batteries with zero interest loan from MASS SAVE and I got / check from national grid for 3k even though payments were only 2k for the year for the battery loan so I basically made 1k by adding batteries per year until the fifth year when it’s paid off

 

[Mungfrog]

Lmao I have a long story about this but I’m lazy. Asked for this to be included in my system in august 2020 and they did the initial paperwork. Got my system installed in March 2021 and tesla could not for the life of them finish paper work for the grant. I went through like 5 advisors trying to get grant paperwork before the one year deadline from paperwork expired. Long story short they missed paperwork window and ended up paying me the grant money out of their pocket so I think they decided not to do it anymore because they could not handle doing paperwork which sucks because that’s an extra 7k available for Rhode Islanders. ALSO if you are in Rhode Island and are not getting batteries you are making a mistake. I have 2 batteries with zero interest loan from MASS SAVE and I got / check from national grid for 3k even though payments were only 2k for the year for the battery loan so I basically made 1k by adding batteries per year until the fifth year when it’s paid off

I live in RI also and have 3 power wall installed in 2021. How long did you wait before getting a check from Nationalgrid for batteries? Do you have a contact info for Nation Grid? Thanks

 

[qnzkrew]

I live in RI also and have 3 power wall installed in 2021. How long did you wait before getting a check from Nationalgrid for batteries? Do you have a contact info for Nation Grid? Thanks

I didn’t get the check till Late January from summer of 2021

 

[ShibbyRomes]

Just got this from REF advisor. Thoughts?

 

[qnzkrew]

Just got this from REF advisor. Thoughts?

This coincides with what happened to me in 2021. Tesla initiated the paperwork and then didn’t follow through with required paperwork required. I can see why they wouldn’t want to work with Tesla. I was lucky enough and persistent enough that I got tesla to cut me a check for the amount that REF program had promised me. But I mean I was PERSISTENT and called everyday and threatens with lawsuit and everything.

 

[ShibbyRomes]

This coincides with what happened to me in 2021. Tesla initiated the paperwork and then didn’t follow through with required paperwork required. I can see why they wouldn’t want to work with Tesla. I was lucky enough and persistent enough that I got tesla to cut me a check for the amount that REF program had promised me. But I mean I was PERSISTENT and called everyday and threatens with lawsuit and everything.

I wanted to ask what they meant by default and why it required manufacturer input in order to get a grant that is ultimately an incentive for customers but I decided against it. I would just get some BS answer that would annoy me further. There's always a catch with these programs.

 

[qnzkrew]

I wanted to ask what they meant by default and why it required manufacturer input in order to get a grant that is ultimately an incentive for customers but I decided against it. I would just get some BS answer that would annoy me further. There's always a catch with these programs.

Yea they require the installer to apply for the grant. I tried everything I could to give them the information they wanted but they would not budge. In the end, I felt that this program is already allocated to a few installers and that that’s how they want it and don’t want to accommodate anybody else

 

[ShibbyRomes]

Yea they require the installer to apply for the grant. I tried everything I could to give them the information they wanted but they would not budge. In the end, I felt that this program is already allocated to a few installers and that that’s how they want it and don’t want to accommodate anybody else

I agree. Feels like it was something they approved to benefit certain local/regional companies.