In the coming weeks, Texas electricity distribution and transmission company Oncor is expected to restart its solar incentive program, which has proven so popular the firm had to bring forward program funds slated for 2011 and 2012 in order to meet customer demand.

Putting solar photovoltaic panels on homes and other buildings has proved to be so popular, it’s driving rebate prices down. A record-setting rate of recent solar installations has resulted in rebate stepdowns for the California Solar Initiative.

The Tobacco Road and Research Triangle areas of North Carolina have a decent number of solar homes that sell power back into the grid—about 60--but down in the city of Charlotte there are only one-fourth that number: A mere 15 homes so far. That could change as North Carolina power companies rush to boost the amount of electricity they generate from solar energy by the end of the year, per state law.

The state of Colorado will launch a new energy rebate program April 19, complete with a comprehensive new Web site that will provide rebate and financial incentive information, as well as conservation and energy-saving tips.

The Massachusetts Clean Energy Center will open block 2 of funding for the Commonwealth Solar Stimulus rebate program and Commonwealth Solar II rebate program today, April 9, 2010.

Arizona Cuts Solar Incentive Amount Because Program Is So Popular

Despite the down economy, demand for solar-power installations has been so large it threatened to drain Arizona’s solar rebate fund by June. So the Arizona Public Service Co. (APS) moved to reduce the amount of each rebate, in order to make the fund last longer and to provide solar incentives to more people. More APS home and business customers put solar panels on their roofs last year than in the previous eight years combined, and about 113 residential customers a week have applied for solar rebates from the utility this year, according to the Arizona Republic. The APS has proposed cutting its solar rebate from $3,000 per kilowatt to $2,150 a kilowatt.

Va. Solar Program Gets New Life

Virginia has restarted its energy rebate program as of March 22. Approximately $3.5 million will fund the Virginia Solar and Wind Incentive Program, which defrays the costs of solar electric, solar thermal and small wind energy systems for residents, businesses and non-profits. Another $6.5 billion is available for the Virginia Energy Efficiency Rebate Program. The first round of $20 million in rebates for the two programs was sold out in three weeks when it was offered in October.

Updated March 22: The revamped SolarGenerations incentive program being run by NV Energy will now start taking applications April 21 at 12 p.m. PT. NV Energy moved the date back from March 24 in order to provide a better opportunity for customers to submit a more complete application.