Solar Photovoltaics

Solar and CHP Sales Tax Exemption

Solar energy systems have been exempt from Florida's sales and use tax since July 1, 1997. The term "solar energy system" means the equipment and requisite hardware that provide and are used for collecting, transferring, converting, storing, or using incidental solar energy for water heating, space heating and cooling, or other applications that would otherwise require the use of a conventional source of energy such as petroleum products, natural gas, manufactured gas or electricity. 

This exemption was originally set to expire on July 1, 2002, but it was extended for three more three years. In May 2005, the exemption was

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Property Tax Exemption for Renewable Energy Systems

Connecticut provides a property tax exemption for "Class I" renewable energy systems* and hydropower facilities** that generate electricity for private residential use. The exemption is available for systems installed on or after October 1, 2007, that serve farms, single-family homes or multi-family dwellings limited to four units. In addition, "any passive or active solar water or space heating system or geothermal energy resource" is exempt from property taxes, regardless of the type of facility the system serves. Public Act No. 22-25 added electric vehicle charging stations, refueling equipment for fuel cell vehicles, and zero-emission school buses as eligible technologies beginning

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Small-Scale Energy Loan Program

Note: This program is currently insolvent and has been on hiatus since 2015. The insolvency is a result of the default of high-risk loans that occurred between 2007 and 2012 and the lack of new loan origination since 2015. The program will require General Fund support to meet bond debt service payments in 2022 and 2023. The 2021 Legislature in SB 5506 (2021) appropriated $3.5 million General Fund to ODOE to pay SELP bond debt service through the 2021-23 biennium. As of July 2025, SELP is not currently accepting new loan applications.

The Oregon Small-Scale Energy Loan Program (SELP) was

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Net Metering

The Public Service Commission of Wisconsin (PSC) issued an order on January 26, 1982, requiring all regulated utilities to file tariffs allowing net metering to customers that generate electricity with systems up to 20 kilowatts (kW)* in capacity.

Eligibility and Availability

The order applies to investor-owned utilities and municipal utilities, but not to electric cooperatives. All distributed-generation (DG) systems, including renewable energy and combined heat and power (CHP) systems, are eligible. There is no limit on total enrollment.

Net Excess Generation

The PSC has not adopted administrative rules for net metering.** Utilities' net-metering tariffs contain some variations. Customer net excess

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Energy Loan Program

Note: FY2025 - Loan Applications are Currently Closed as of July 29, 2025.

The Missouri Energy Loan Program, administered by the Division of Energy in the Missouri Department of Economic Development (DED), is available for energy efficiency and renewable energy projects for public and governmental buildings and structures. Eligible recipients include public schools (K-12), public/private colleges and universities, city/county governments, public water and wastewater treatment facilities, and public/private non-profit hospitals.

Loan amounts are based on projected energy savings from energy efficiency upgrades, which result in monetary savings that are used to repay the loan. For Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 financing

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Local Option - Property Tax Credit for Renewables and Energy Conservation Devices

Title 9 of Maryland’s property tax code provides local governments the option to allow a property tax credit for buildings equipped with a solar, geothermal or qualifying energy conservation device. These devices may be used to heat or cool the structure, to generate electricity to be used in the structure, or to provide hot water for use in the structure. The law was initially enacted in 1985, but at that time applied only to heating and cooling and water heating applications. Electricity production for on-site use was added in 2006.

Under this provision, counties determine the amount of the credit

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Alternative Energy and Energy Conservation Patent Income Tax Deduction (Personal)

Massachusetts offers a personal income tax deduction for (1) any income -- including royalty income -- received from the sale or lease of a U.S. patent deemed beneficial for energy conservation or alternative energy development by the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources, and (2) any income received from the sale or lease of personal or real property or materials manufactured in Massachusetts and subject to the approved patent. The deduction is effective for up to five years from the date of issuance of the U.S. patent or the date of approval by the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources, whichever expires
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Mandatory Utility Green Power Option

All electric utilities operating in Iowa, including those not rate-regulated by the Iowa Utilities Board (IUB), are required to offer green power options to their customers. These programs allow customers to make voluntary contributions to support the development of renewable energy sources in Iowa. Utilities must file their program plans and tariff schedules with the IUB; however, the filings for non-rate-regulated utilities are intended to be for informational purposes only. 


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Nebraska Solar and Wind Easements

Nebraska's solar and wind agreement provisions allow property owners to create binding solar and wind easements, among other types of agreements, for the purpose of protecting and maintaining proper access to sunlight and wind. The initial term of a wind agreement may not exceed 40 years. Additionally, a wind agreement will terminate if development has not commenced within 10 years of the effective date of the wind agreement. If all parties involved agree to extend this period, however, the agreement may be extended. Wind developers are required to ensure decommissioning funds are available for inactive systems.

Local Ordinances and Zoning

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Solar Energy Sales Tax Exemption

New Jersey offers a full exemption from the state's sales tax for all solar energy equipment. This exemption is available to all taxpayers. All major types solar energy equipment, including equipment for passive solar design, are considered eligible for the exemption as described by the New Jersey Division of Taxation Publication S&U-6 (Sales Tax Exemption Administration). According to S&U-6, the exemption includes all solar energy "devices or systems specifically approved by the Board of Public Utilities, Division of Energy and designed to provide heating or cooling or electrical or mechanical power by converting solar energy to some other usable

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