Rebates

Connecticut’s 1998 electric restructuring legislation established the Renewable Energy Investment Fund.*  The Renewable Energy Investment Fund was later renamed the Clean Energy Fund, which the Clean Energy Finance and Investment Authority (CEFIA)** -- a quasi-governmental investment organization -- was given the authority to administer. In operation since 2000, the Clean Energy Fund has aimed to develop, invest in, and promote, sustainable energy sources. A surcharge on Connecticut ratepayers' utility bills provides the funding for the Clean Energy Fund, and the charge currently stands at "not less than" $0.001 per kWh (1 mill per kWh).

CEFIA, was given a significant amount

Montana's property tax exemption for recognized non-fossil forms of energy generation and low emission wood or biomass combustion devices may be claimed for 10 years after installation of the property. The exemption is allowed for up to $20,000 in value for single-family residential dwellings and up to $100,000 in value for multi-family residential dwellings or non-residential structures. This property is class 4 property and otherwise would be taxed on 2.54% of assessed value in tax year 2013 and 2.47% in tax years after 2013.

Recognized forms of energy generation include solar photovoltaics, passive solar, wind, solid waste, decomposition of organic

All real and personal property of wind energy systems are exempt from the state's property tax, except for the land on which the wind energy system is located. Under H.B. 3167, beginning with taxes payable in 2015, personal property consisting of solar energy generating systems is exempt from property taxation, but the real property (i.e., the land on which the solar energy generating system is located) is still subject to property tax. Wind and solar energy production taxes have replaced more typical forms of property tax.

Wind

In lieu of a property tax on large wind-energy electricity generating

Massachusetts law provides that solar energy systems and wind energy systems or solar and wind systems that are co-located with an energy storage system that meet the following criteria are exempt from local property tax for a 20-year period: can produce at most 125% of the annual electricity needs of the real property; has a system capacity that is 25 kW or less; or an individual system -- or a combination therein -- that entered into an agreement for payment in lieu of taxes associated with the municipality that the system is located in. A period greater than 20 years

Massachusetts law exempts from the state's sales tax "equipment directly relating to any solar, wind powered; or heat pump system, which is being utilized as a primary or auxiliary power system for the purpose of heating or otherwise supplying the energy needs of an individual's principal residence in the commonwealth."

Massachusetts Tax Form ST-12 is available on the Massachusetts Department of Revenue web site. The form may be completed and presented to the vendor at the time of purchase.

Massachusetts allows a 15% credit -- up to $1,000 -- against the state income tax for the net expenditure* of a renewable energy system (including installation costs) installed on an individual’s primary residence. If the credit amount is greater than a resident's income tax liability, the excess credit amount may be carried forward to the next succeeding year for up to three years. Eligible technologies include solar water and space heating, photovoltaics (PV), and wind energy systems. The original use of the system must begin with the taxpayer, and the system should “reasonably be expected to remain in operation for

This statute exempts from the state sales tax all wood or "refuse-derived" fuel used for heating purposes. The law does not make any distinctions about whether the qualified fuels are used for residential or commercial heating so both purposes should qualify. As of now, the Maryland sales tax rate is 6%.

Any city or county in Iowa may pass an ordinance assessing wind energy conversion equipment at a special valuation for property tax purposes, beginning at 0% of the net acquisition cost in the first assessment year and increasing annually by five percentage points to a maximum of 30% of the net acquisition cost in the 7th and succeeding years.

If a city or county repeals the ordinance, the wind energy property shall be valued at the special rate until the end of the 19th assessment year following the first assessment year. Once this period has ended, the property is valued

Illinois offers a special assessment of solar energy systems for property tax purposes. When a claim for alternate valuation is filed, the chief county assessment officer is required to ascertain two values: the value of the improvements as if equipped with a conventional heating or cooling system and the value of the improvements as equipped with the solar energy system. The alternate valuation is the lesser of these two values.

Eligible equipment includes both active and passive solar energy systems. The exemption is not valid for equipment that is equally usable in a conventional energy system or for components that

This statute allows taxpayers an income tax deduction of 40% of the cost of a solar, wind, geothermal, and certain biomass energy devices used for heating or electricity generation. Taxpayers can apply this 40% deduction in the year in which the system is installed and can also deduct 20% of the cost each year for three years thereafter. The maximum deduction in any one year is $5,000. The total maximum deduction is $20,000.

Eligible biomass energy devices include a pellet stove or EPA-certified wood stove if:

• it is in the taxpayer's residence,
• it replaces an old wood stove that does