Minnesota Power, an ALLETE Company

SolarSense is an incentive based on how much energy a customer’s PV system is expected to produce. Calculating the rebate depends on the design of the solar system—including tilt, orientation and shading profile—and an estimate of annual energy production from PV Watts. PV Watts is a publicly available tool developed by the National Renewable Energy Laboratories (NREL) to estimate energy output from PV systems. To calculate the SolarSense rebate, a PV system’s estimated energy output is multiplied by $0.27/kWh.

Here’s an example: An 8 kW system is installed on a rooftop in Duluth, Minnesota. The roof has a slope of 20 degrees and the modules face southwest at an azimuth of 220 degrees. The shade analysis performed by the installation company determined the site has a yearly shading profile of 88 percent. According to PV Watts, the average annual production estimate is 8,874 kWh. This estimate is multiplied by $0.27/kWh, resulting in a total rebate of $2,396.

The total combined rebate and incentives cannot exceed $5,000, or 60% of installed costs, whichever is less.

Please note that SolarSense program dollars are not reserved until an application is approved and a rebate reservation number is issued. Customers approved for SolarSense rebates will have six months from receiving both a complete interconnection application and rebate reservation number to complete the installation of the system. If the project is not completed within six months, customers will be required to reapply to the program, forfeit their reserved position in the rebate queue and return the rebate amount to SolarSense.

The Program is funded with the following budgets through 2027:
2025-2027 - $87,675 / Annually

In the event the company receives enough qualified applications to exceed its annual budget, projects located in Disadvantaged Communities and Tribal Lands will be prioritized for approval.

The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency hosts a website with more information and a map tool that will be used to determine these geographic priority areas: https://www.pca.state.mn.us/about-mpca/environmental-justice

In order to qualify for Minnesota Power’s SolarSense solar electric rebate, you must meet the following criteria.

Customer Criteria:

• Be a Minnesota Power retail customer with an account in good standing installing a grid-tied solar system.
• Must meet income qualification of household income less than 150% AMI.
  • For more information on income thresholds, visit Minnesota’s Area Median Income resource here.
• Own the PV system and the property/building where the system will be installed.
• Customers exempt from the Solar Energy Standard are not eligible to apply.
• Customers that installed a solar PV system within the past 12 months are not eligible to apply.
• Customers that have received a SolarSense rebate within the past 12 months are not eligible to apply.

Installer and System Criteria:

• Installer must be certified (NABCEP or UL).
• Installed equipment must be new, including all major system components.
• System must have a nameplate capacity of 40 kW (ac) or less.
• Estimated annual kWh production shall not be more than 120 percent of the premise's previous 12 months energy consumption.
• PV modules must come with a 20-year or more manufacturer’s performance warranty. All inverters must come with a minimum 10-year manufacturer’s performance warranty. Installers must offer a two-year workmanship warranty.
• All energy production must be measured by a production meter before going through any other device.
• You must submit the final installation costs to Minnesota Power.

Application Requirements:

• Complete the installation within six months of receiving rebate approval and a signed uniform statewide contract.
• The installer must submit system design specifications for system size and shading to Minnesota Power in order to calculate the incentive estimate.
• Get pre-approval of the project prior to installation of equipment.
• SolarSense Renewable Energy Credit (REC) and MRETs Schedule A contracts must be completed and submitted once the installation is complete.
• Final installation costs must be submitted to Minnesota Power.

If you are unsure whether you are eligible to participate in the SolarSense program, please contact Minnesota Power’s Renewable Programs at 218-355-3720.

• Submit application during open application period
• After a two-week application review period, notifications are sent to approved rebate applicants
• If not already done, approved applicants must submit an interconnection application within three weeks
  • Reference Interconnection Process section below for more details on requirements
• Once interconnection agreement is signed, construction may begin
  • Project construction must be completed within 6 months of award date (contact Minnesota Power if exceptions are needed)
• Once system is commissioned, Minnesota Power sends final rebate award documentation for signature
• When all documentation is signed and returned, SolarSense rebate check is issued
  • (allow 5-6 weeks for check to arrive)

The interconnection process allows Minnesota Power to identify site-specific conditions that may affect the installation and notify the customer before the installation begins, saving time and money. The steps listed below are a brief outline of the complete interconnection process. Please review the interconnection process for more information and specific timelines. Customers may apply for and receive approval of an interconnection prior to applying for the SolarSense rebate.

1. Select a contractor
   Selecting a contractor that meets your needs is an important step in the process. While Minnesota Power does not require that you choose a specific installer, an installer certified with the North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners (NABCEP) or Underwriters Laboratory (UL) is required. Click here to find a NABCEP certified installer in your area.
2. Submit an interconnection application
   Work with your installer to submit a complete interconnection application. If you are planning to add a battery backup system in conjunction with a solar system, you also must complete the battery backup system addendum form. The interconnection application may be submitted for approvals at any time.

   Minnesota Laws Ch. 127, Art. 42, sec. 54 requires Minnesota Power to assess and collect a surcharge of $50 on each interconnection application in addition to the regular application fee and remit the full surcharge to the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission to fund an interconnection ombudsperson position. The interconnection ombudsperson will mediate disputes between utilities, project developers, and consumers related to interconnecting generation projects to the distribution system. All interconnection related issues may be relayed to the ombudsperson by contacting the Public Utilities Commission Consumer Affairs Office at consumer.puc@state.mn.us, 651-296-0406 or 800-657-3782.

3. Preliminary review and interconnection approval
   Upon receiving a complete interconnection application, Minnesota Power will conduct a preliminary review within 20 business days. During this review, a Minnesota Power representative will identify any site-specific conditions that may affect the installation. A preliminary review must be completed and approved by Minnesota Power prior to beginning the installation. Occasionally, a system upgrade or modification is required to meet current standards or to safely operate the system. Customers will be informed of any upgrades with their approval documents.
4. Install the system
   Once Minnesota Power has approved the interconnection application, the system installation may begin. Contact Minnesota Power when the installation is complete and approved by an electrical inspector to schedule a commissioning test. A certificate of completion must be submitted to Minnesota Power as proof of the inspection.
5. Connect to Minnesota Power
   During the commissioning test, your existing meter will be exchanged for a bidirectional or net meter and the production meter will be installed. The system design parameters will also be verified for the rebate calculation.

• Minnesota Power’s 2025 Solar Guide
• Interconnection webpage (connect my system)
• SolarSense Renewable Energy Credit (REC)
• Contract M-RETs Schedule A
• Minnesota Power Distributed Generation
• SolarSense Rebate Application