Solar power in Arkansas on rooftops can provide 33.3% of all electricity used in Arkansas from 12,200 MW of solar panels.[1]
Net metering is available to all residential consumers up to 25 kW and 300 kW for non-residential users, but is lost once a year at the end of the 12 month billing cycle, which needs to be in the spring to avoid losing excess summer generation.[2] IREC best practices, based on experience, recommends no limits to net metering, individual or aggregate, and perpetual roll over of kWh credits.[3] A rebate program is available for systems up to 25 kW that pays $1.50/kWh generated during the first year of operation.[4] A 5 kW system, costing $17,500 after receiving a 30% federal tax credit, would produce about 6484 kWh/year, providing a rebate of approximately $9,726. The federal tax credit is available through 2021.[5]
In 2010 the Fayetteville Public Library installed a 13.5 kW solar array,[6] and received a rebate for the 20,547 kWh generated of $30,821.10.[7]
The largest company in Arkansas, and occasionally the world,[8] Walmart, set a goal in 2005 of being powered 100% by renewable energy. By April 2012 they were generating 4% locally, mainly from rooftop solar panels, and overall using 22% renewable energy.[9]
DateFormat = x.yPeriod = from:0 till:6.5TimeAxis = orientation:verticalScaleMajor = unit:month increment:1 start:0 TextData = pos:(15,220) textcolor:black fontsize:M text:hrs pos:(205,25) textcolor:black fontsize:S text:Month pos:(90,230) textcolor:black fontsize:M text:Little Rock Sun Hours/day (Avg = 5.05 hrs/day) Colors = id:yellow value:yellow PlotData= width:20 textcolor:black bar:Jan color:yellow from:0 till:3.78 text:3.78 shift:(-10,50) bar:Feb color:yellow from:0 till:4.38 text:4.38 shift:(-10,60) bar:Mar color:yellow from:0 till:5.19 text:5.19 shift:(-10,70) bar:Apr color:yellow from:0 till:5.67 text:5.67 shift:(-10,75) bar:May color:yellow from:0 till:5.89 text:5.89 shift:(-10,75) bar:Jun color:yellow from:0 till:5.81 text:5.81 shift:(-10,75) bar:Jul color:yellow from:0 till:5.93 text:5.93 shift:(-10,75) bar:Aug color:yellow from:0 till:6.08 text:6.08 shift:(-10,75) bar:Sep color:yellow from:0 till:5.41 text:5.41 shift:(-10,70) bar:Oct color:yellow from:0 till:5.16 text:5.16 shift:(-10,65) bar:Nov color:yellow from:0 till:3.69 text:3.69 shift:(-10,50) bar:Dec color:yellow from:0 till:3.56 text:3.56 shift:(-10,45) Source: NREL[10] |
| Year(s) | Capacity | Installed | % Change | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | 0.2 | 0.2 | ||
| 2010 | 1.0 | 0.6 | 400% | |
| 2011 | 1.1 | 0.1 | 10% | |
| 2012 | 1.5 | 0.6 | 55% | |
| 2013 | 1.8 | 0.2 | 13% | |
| 2014 | 3.8 | 2 | 111% | |
| 2015 | 20.1 | 16.3 | 429% | |
| 2016 | 24.1 | 4 | 19.9% | |
| 2017 | 30.1 | 6 | 24.9% | |
| 2018 | 180 | 170.9 | 498% | |
| 2019 | 220 | 40 | 22.2% | |
| 2020 | 381.1 | 161.1 | 73.2% | |
| 2021 | 553.4 | 172.3 | % | |
| 2022 | 632 | 78.6 | % |
| Year | Total | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 2016 | 26 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 |
| 2017 | 31 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 |
| 2018 | 205 | 13 | 9 | 20 | 20 | 23 | 23 | 22 | 22 | 16 | 15 | 12 | 10 |
| 2019 | 209 | 11 | 9 | 17 | 18 | 20 | 21 | 25 | 24 | 22 | 17 | 14 | 11 |
| 2020 | 274 | 11 | 14 | 14 | 19 | 25 | 24 | 25 | 24 | 28 | 33 | 32 | 25 |
| 2021 | 328 | 24 | 20 | 39 | 45 | 49 | 49 | 52 | 50 |