The Minnesota Legislature established the Made in Minnesota (MiM) Solar Incentive Program in 2013 to help our state meet its solar electricity standard and to catalyze the solar industry.
MiM is a solar photovoltaic (PV) and solar thermal incentive program for consumers who install PV and solar thermal systems using solar modules and collectors certified as manufactured in Minnesota. The program is administered by the Department of Commerce with an annual budget of up to $15 million for 10 years, including $250,000 per year for solar thermal rebates.
Solar PV projects must be located in one of three participating electric investor-owned utility (IOU) service territories and tied directly to an electric meter at the home or business of the host customer of the solar PV installation. Customers of Xcel Energy, Minnesota Power, and Otter Tail Power are eligible to apply. Solar thermal projects located in the participating IOU territories will be given priority over solar thermal projects located in electric co-op or municipal power territories. However, all Minnesota residents and business are eligible to apply for solar thermal projects.
Applications for solar PV are accepted annually from Jan. 1 to Feb. 28 and selected by lottery. Solar thermal project applications are accepted annually from Jan. 1 to Feb. 28 and selected by lottery as well. However, after all solar thermal applications from IOU customers have been funded, solar thermal applications are then accepted on a first-come, first-served basis throughout the year until all funds have been committed.
Interested parties can see if they have a good solar resource using the Minnesota Solar App, which shows solar insolation for every square meter of the state: http://solar.maps.umn.edu/app/
