Solar Photovoltaics

Focus on Energy - Business & Marketing Grant

The Business and Marketing Grant provided by Focus on Energy is no longer available. Focus on Energy still provides similar grants and programs for small businesses, residents, and industry
Wisconsin Focus on Energy offers several state-wide grant programs to support the development of renewable energy projects and industry infrastructure. Individual grant programs are intended to offer support in specific areas of the renewable energy market to help implement projects that otherwise would not be completed, or to complete projects sooner than scheduled. The Business & Marketing Grants provide financial support for developing business skills and marketing materials
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Alternative-Energy Personal Property Tax Exemption

Michigan HB 4465, effective 11/15/2019, reinstates the property tax exemption for alternative energy systems (AES) that was in effect from 2002 until to 2012. The summary of SB 1316, the original tax exemption bill, can be found below. 
"Alternative energy personal property" certified by the NextEnergy Authority and located in the NextEnergy Zone is exempt from the collection of personal property taxes. This exemption includes (1) "alternative energy systems," (2) "alternative energy vehicles," (3) the personal property of an "alternative energy technology business" and (4) the personal property of a business not engaged in alternative-energy technology that is
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Connecticut Green Energy Building Solutions

Connecticut Green Bank offers green energy solutions to home, building and multifamily property owners, residential and commercial contractors, towns and cities, and even capital providers. Learn more about their programs here. A list of incentives for each property owner is included below. For more information on the Connecticut Green Bank visit the DSIRE Connecticut Clean Energy Fund program listing.

Homeowners

  • Smart-E Loan: No money down, low-interest financing with flexible terms to help you upgrade your home’s energy performance. Almost any home improvement project that reduces energy use and lowers costs may qualify.
  • Residential Solar Investment Program (RSIP): he
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Portland - Solar Access Developer Guidelines

Purpose: In 2002 Portland created guidelines to encourage variation in the width of lots to maximize solar access for single-dwelling detached development and minimize shade on adjacent properties.

Inclusion: The following applies to lots for single dwelling detached developments created as part of a land division in all zones. Where it is not practicable to meet both the approval criteria of chapter 33 and the standards and approval criteria of other chapters in the 600’s, the regulations of the other chapters supersede the approval criteria of this chapter.

Solar Access Approval Criteria:

All the following must be met:

A

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City of San Diego - Development Regulations

San Diego’s Supplemental Development Regulations passed initially in 1997 but since has had many additions and alterations, some as recent as 2020. San Diego’s Supplemental Development Regulations require that a “Shadow Plan” be developed when it is determined that structures or landscaping within a proposed development may have an impact on neighboring property’s access to solar exposure. This is intended to ensure that potential impacts to solar access will be minimized. (§143.0410 section i)

The Shadow Plan is further fleshed out in §151.0301 – Permitted Development Controls. Detailing that “when, in the opinion of the City Manager, structures

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Solar + Storage Rebate Program

As of May 2024 the program's funding is fully reserved and is no longer accepting applications.

H.B. 2618 of 2019 established the Solar + Storage rebate program and instructed the Oregon Department of Energy to administer it. H.B. 3409 of 2023 extended the end data of the program to 2029. Incentives are available for residential solar + storage systems, with higher rebate amounts available for qualified low-income residents, and those ineligible for an incentive from their utility. Rebates are paid directly to the program-approved contractor, who installs the equipment, and will be passed on to the customer. 

Solar PV System

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Solar and Wind Energy Property Tax Exemption

Maine offers a property tax exemption for solar and wind energy equipment generating heat or electricity, as long as all of the energy is (1) used on-site where the property is located or (2) transmitted through the facilities of a transmission and distribution utility, and a customer or customers receive a bill credit for the energy produced.


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Community Solar Gardens and Community Geothermal Gardens

[Link to Black Hills Energy's webpage]

H.B. 1342 of 2010 authorized the development of community solar gardens (CSGs) in the service territory of investor-owned utilities in Colorado. H.B. 1003, enacted in 2019 increased the maximum size of a CSG from 2 megawatts to 5 megawatts, and allowed the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) to increase the maximum size to 10 megawatts beginning July 1, 2023. The legislation also removed the requirement that a CSG subscriber's identified physical location be in the same or adjacent county as the CSG, though both locations must be within the service territory of

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Renewable Portfolio Standard

H.B. 1526, enacted in April 2020 established a mandatory renewable portfolio standard for electric utilities and suppliers. 

Requirements:

Virginia's Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) requires Phase II Utilities (Dominion Energy) to generate 100% of their power from renewable sources by 2045. The RPS requires Phase I Utilities (Appalachian Power Company) to generate 100% of their power from renewable sources by 2050. A complete list of requirements by year is given below:

  • 2021 - 6% for Phase I Utilities, 14% for Phase II Utilities
  • 2022 - 7% for Phase I Utilities, 17% for Phase II Utilities
  • 2023 - 8% for Phase
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Wyoming Solar Rights

Wyoming’s Solar Rights Act (1981), states that the “beneficial use of solar energy is a property right”. Solar rights -- a landowner's right against interference with sunlight for the purposes of solar energy -- are thus property rights. 

The Act states that these rights are only valid from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Mountain Standard Time. Outside of these hours, the solar right may be infringed without compensation to the owner of the solar collector. The Act delegates responsibility of enforcement to local governments by requiring local governments to establish a permit system for the use of solar energy. A

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