Renewable Energy Incentives 2012

This is a GREAT opportunity for Consumers Energy

to help you pay for your new Solar Photovoltaic Electric Power System.

Under this program, Consumers Energy will pay you a "tariff" ($) for every Solar Produced Kilowatt Hour of electricity that you "feed-in" to the them through the grid.
The rate to be paid to you is expected to be between $0.20 and $0.26 per kilowatt hour produced by your Solar PV System.

Four Elements Energy, Inc. has extensive experience in working with Consumers Energy and the EARP (Experimental Alternative Renewables Program) or FEED-IN-TARIFF (FIT) program. We are now accepting applications for the Phase 4 EARP program....

In June 2011, Consumers Energy Company (Consumers Energy or the Company) announced the completion of 102 projects contracted to provide approximately 2,000 kW of solar generated capacity to the Company under the first two phases of the Experimental Advanced Renewable Program (EARP) pilot. On July 26, 2011, the Michigan Public Service Commission approved an expansion of the EARP.

The expanded EARP (Program) is part of the Amended Renewable Energy Plan prepared by Consumers Energy in accordance with Public Act 295 of 2008 (2008 PA 295). This Program is limited to 3,000 kilowatts (kW) of capacity, with 1,500 kW reserved for residential systems and 1,500 kW reserved for non-residential systems. Contracts issued under this Program will be awarded over a three-year period beginning in the fourth quarter 2011 for non-residential customers and in the first quarter 2012 for residential customers, and will offer rates between $0.20/kWh and $0.26/kWh.

How Does the Program Work?
During each calendar quarter, Consumers Energy will issue a notice on its website and to various industry groups that it is soliciting applications for participation in each phase of the expanded EARP.

If you qualify, and if the capacity of systems applying for contracts exceeds the capacity offered in any phase, applicants will be selected based on a random selection system (or lottery system) for EACH phase. If your application has not been selected from the current phase, you will need to submit a new application in order to be considered for the next phase.

To qualify for participation in the Program, the applicant must:
• be a Consumers Energy customer account holder;
• be willing to have a separate meter installed in addition to existing meters;
• have a satisfactory payment history on their existing Consumers Energy account for the 12 months prior to the application due date;
• own or lease the solar photovoltaic system (and install such system on the premises of the existing account or on a contiguous adjacent property owned or leased by the account holder.

Limitations which may prevent participation in the Program are that Participants must not:
• install a system smaller than 1 kW DC;
• install a system larger than 20 kW DC for residential customers and larger than 150 kW DC for non-residential customers;
• have a battery backup system or other energy storage system;
• install a system that, combined with any other existing generation onsite, generates more kilowatt-hours annually than is consumed annually.
For more information, please visit Consumers Energy website: www.consumersenergy.com/EARP

1 Some additional limitations may apply. Consumers Energy will evaluate all applications for qualification and the applicant will be notified if the application does not meet the requirements for participation in EARP.