Any wind or solar systems installed by Heartland members must be inspected by our staff before they can be interconnected to the power grid. A simple application form and $100 fee are required for systems 10 kilowatts or smaller. All wind and solar systems interconnected with the power grid must have safety measures in place to make sure power is not put back on the grid during a power outage. An accessible manual disconnect switch must also be included so that Heartland crews can disconnect the system when working in the area.
Systems larger than 10 kilowatts have a more complicated approval process due to concerns about the produced power on the cooperative's infrastructure. For very large systems, members will be required to cover the costs of an analysis conducted by an independent engineer.
For more information, call our office at (800) 835-9586.
Similar to a whole-house generator, a battery storage system can be installed by a member on their side of the meter. Like a generator, a battery storage system must be installed with proper disconnections to ensure that power is not backfed onto Heartland’s system during a power outage.
Storing power for later use is helpful for many reasons. For those on time-of-use rates, and commercial rates with demand charges, energy storage can help members use less power during those times of day when power is expensive. Members who add battery storage to a solar array installation reduce the need for the cooperative to serve as a virtual battery. And many battery storage systems can provide power during an outage.
We have found that many of our members who have installed wind and solar systems want to know just how much power their equipment is producing. A second meter monitoring the wind or solar array will help you know how much power is being produced by your system and help Heartland with future planning for future electric system infrastructure upgrades.
If Heartland needs to make upgrades to the cooperative’s distribution system in order to accommodate the power produced by a consumer-member's distributed generation equipment, the consumer-member will be expected to cover those costs. When a member’s solar array pushes power back onto Heartland’s system, it is critical that the system be able to handle that backfed power. This is more likely to be required with very large, commercial installations. Heartland’s equipment needs to be able to handle those situations when the sun is shining, and you are not using power yourself.
If you're like the majority of our consumer-members and are on the Peak Savers rate, your monthly utility bill from Heartland is made up of 3 parts. The first is the energy charge, which is based on how many kWh Heartland provides your home, farm or business throughout the course of a month. Our rates are designed so that this charge covers the cost of wholesale power, its delivery, and equipment related to the delivery of that power. The second part of your bill is the Service Availability Charge. This is a fixed monthly amount that primarily goes toward the daily operations of Heartland and everything that it takes to keep the co-op running, including the trucks, employee salaries, and some basic infrastructure. It’s the price you pay to have power available, whether you need lots of electricity or almost no electricity. It’s necessary for everyone to pay this fee, because even members with large solar arrays rely on Heartland staff to properly maintain our poles, wires, and substations.
No. Heartland does not purchase power from members under our net metering agreement. Your renewable installation helps you by reducing the amount of electricity you purchase from the cooperative.
No. Member solar arrays that are interconnected into Heartland’s grid are designed to automatically stop producing power during an outage. This is necessary to prevent backfeeds and ensure the safety of our line workers working to restore power during an outage. The only way a solar array can provide power during an outage is if it is paired with a dedicated battery storage system.
Any wind or solar systems installed by Heartland members must be inspected by our staff before they can be interconnected to the power grid. All wind and solar systems interconnected with the power grid must have safety measures in place to make sure power is not put back on the grid during a power outage. An accessible manual disconnect switch must also be included so that Heartland crews can disconnect the system when working in the area. A separate meter on your solar array will help you and Heartland monitor your system’s output.
If you are interested in installing a renewable generation system, your first step is to work with an installer and Heartland to determine what size solar array is right for you. The formula above can help with that. Our staff can help look at your usage to help refine your right size solar array. When you and your installer have determined what will be installed, you’ll need to submit an interconnection proposal to Heartland. An application form and $100 fee are required for systems 10 kilowatts or smaller. Systems larger than 10 kilowatts have a more complicated approval process due to concerns about the produced power on the cooperative's infrastructure. For very large systems, members will be required to cover the costs of an analysis conducted by an independent engineer.
Any wind or solar systems installed by Heartland members must be inspected by our staff before they can be interconnected to the power grid. A simple application form and $100 fee are required for systems 10 kilowatts or smaller. All wind and solar systems interconnected with the power grid must have safety measures in place to make sure power is not put back on the grid during a power outage. An accessible manual disconnect switch must also be included so that Heartland crews can disconnect the system when working in the area.
If you're like the majority of our consumer-members and are on the Peak Savers rate, your monthly utility bill from Heartland is made up of 3 parts. The first is the energy charge, which is based on how many kWh Heartland provides your home, farm or business throughout the course of a month. Our rates are designed so that this charge covers the cost of wholesale power, its delivery, and equipment related to the delivery of that power. The second part of your bill is the Service Availability Charge. This is a fixed monthly amount that primarily goes toward the daily operations of Heartland and everything that it takes to keep the co-op running, including the trucks, employee salaries, and some basic infrastructure. It’s the price you pay to have power available, whether you need lots of electricity or almost no electricity. It’s necessary for everyone to pay this fee, because even members with large solar arrays rely on Heartland staff to properly maintain our poles, wires, and substations.