Rebates

Virginia's solar easement law is similar to those in effect in other states. The Virginia Solar Easements Act of 1978 allows property owners to create binding solar easements for the purpose of protecting and maintaining proper access to sunlight. Easements must be executed in writing and must include:

• The vertical and horizontal angles, expressed in degrees, at which the solar easement extends over the real property subject to the solar easement;
• Any terms or conditions or both under which the solar easement is granted or will be terminated; and
• Any provisions for compensation of the owner of the property subject

The Oklahoma Department of Commerce has established a loan/lease fund for public and non-profit K-12 schools to improve energy efficiency.

Two categories of funding are available for schools to reduce energy consumption. Category I funding will pay for technical and energy audits, the development of Energy Management Plans, and any professional services that contribute to the planning and design of energy reduction systems and measures. Category II funding covers the actual acquisition and installation of energy conservation measures.

All projects must be shown to reduce energy consumption, have a positive return on investment, and be able to be repaid within

The Oklahoma Department of Commerce offers a revolving loan fund for local governments to make energy efficient improvements to government buildings. All eligible projects should increase energy efficiency, reduce energy consumption, project a positive return on investment and be paid back within 6 years of the loan award. Funds from this program can be used to pay for a technical assistance report/audit, energy conservation measures, and operation and maintenance procedures that would contribute to overall reduced energy consumption.

An eligible local government may have only one active loan open at any time.

More information, including program guidelines and the application

The Solar Rights Act (CA Civil Code 714), enacted in 1978, bars restrictions by homeowners associations (HOAs) on the installation of solar-energy systems, but originally did not specifically apply to cities, counties, municipalities or other public entities. Subsequent legislation extended these restrictions to all public entities and common interest developments.  These entities are allowed to impose reasonable restrictions on a solar energy system that do not significantly increase the cost of the system or significantly decrease its efficiency or specified performance. 

"Significantly" was not originally defined, but later legislation adopted a specific dollar amount and system efficiency impact that the

Certain renewable energy systems and equipment sold in Rhode Island are exempt from the state's sales and use tax. Eligible products include solar electric systems, DC-to-AC inverters that interconnect with utility power lines, solar thermal systems, manufactured mounting racks and ballast pans for solar collectors, geothermal heat pumps, and wind turbines and towers.

New York enacted legislation in July 2005 exempting the sale and installation of residential solar-energy systems from the state's sales and compensating use taxes. The exemption was extended to non-residential solar systems in August 2012 (S.B. 3203), effective beginning January 1, 2013. In 2015 (A.B. 3009) the exemption was extended to solar systems that are owned by third party owners, who provide solar electricity to residential and commercial users. Both solar lease payments and the receipts of the sale of electricity by such systems are exempt from state sales and use tax. The exemption was further

In Minnesota, solar-energy systems purchased on or after August 1, 2005, are exempt from the state's sales tax. Solar energy systems are defined as:

"a set of devices whose primary purpose is to collect solar energy and convert and store it for useful purposes including heating and cooling buildings or other energy-using processes, or to produce generated power by means of any combination of collecting, transferring, or converting solar-generated energy." M.S. 297A.67, subd. 29.

Thus the exemption is very broad and could apply to solar Photovoltaic (PV) systems, solar water-heating systems and solar space-heating systems. All components of these systems

Loan Option Through the HELP program, a homeowner can obtain a five year loan to improve the energy efficiency of their existing home. “HELP loans function as standard unsecured underwritten residential loans. The lender makes and services HELP energy efficiency improvement loans of up to a maximum of $12,000.00 to participants who go through the normal underwriting process. Qualifying loan improvement measures are provided on a "Prescriptive List of Improvements", from which the borrower selects approved items. The LDNR loans one half (½) of the loan amount, through the lender to the borrower, for up to a maximum

The Texas LoanSTAR (Saving Taxes and Resources) low-interest revolving loan program finances energy-related cost reduction retrofits for state, public school, college, university, and non-profit hospital facilities. Borrowers repay loans through the stream of cost savings realized from their energy cost-reduction projects. The LoanSTAR Program Administrator should be contacted for information on current loan interest rates.

As of September 1, 2023, LoanSTAR has funded over 337 loans totaling over $600 million. 

Eligible Projects

Guidelines for project eligibility, fund availability and project funding and repayment are set forth in the administrative rules and the technical guidelines.

Process

Each April and October

Before a development plan can be approved in the City of Santa Cruz, it must be found that the orientation and location of buildings, structures, open spaces and other features of the site plan preserve solar access of adjacent properties. In addition, buildings and structures should be designed and oriented to make use of natural elements such as solar radiation, wind and landscaping for heating, cooling and ventilation. Developers must also show that heating systems for hot tubs and swimming pools are solar when possible, and in all cases, energy efficient. The orientation and location of the fence or hedge