Under the program, applicants can qualify for a rebate of $3.00 per DC Watt of installed capacity, up to a maximum of $25,000. The grants are offered on a first-come, first-serve basis to help offset the costs of new residential solar PV systems. Only customers of the following service areas pay into the fund and therefore are able to apply for the program: American Electric Power, Dayton Power & Light, Duke Energy, and FirstEnergy.

However, this popular program was temporarily halted to allow the Ohio Department of Development's (ODOD’s) Energy Resources Division catch up with existing applications before allowing any more people to apply. The division said it “has seen a significant increase in the demand for the Advanced Energy Fund and has approved an unprecedented number of grant agreements since the start of the state fiscal year on July 1, 2010.” Because of the number of applicants and the possibility that the Advanced Energy Fund might not be extended after Dec. 31, 2010, the program may only be open for a short time longer.

To be eligible, the system must be based in Ohio and be located at the resident’s primary home. The initial grant application must include a solar site analysis report. Prior to purchasing or beginning work on an installation, the customer must select an approved installer. Only after the applicant has received a grant agreement can they start work on installing the system. The project must be completed within a year of signing a grant agreement and the funds will be issued after it is completed and the project passed a final inspection.