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Low-Interest Energy Loan Programs

*Note: The State Energy Loan Program is currently closed, but anticipated to reopen in Summer 2025.

The Idaho Governor's Office of Energy and Mineral Resources (OEMR) State Energy Loan Program offers low-interest loans to fund energy efficiency projects for single-family homes in Idaho. Qualified projects include insulation, lighting upgrades, windows, weatherization, HVAC, appliances, and renewable energy. See qualifying addendums on the State Energy Loan Program website for project and equipment requirements.

All loans are evaluated by a financial institution for credit worthiness and must be secured with real estate. Consumers may choose to leverage these loans by accessing utility incentives

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Energy Conservation Loan

Energy Efficiency Loans are available through the Capital for Change, Inc. to owners of one- to four-family homes . Some programs have established income limits and location requirements. Interest rates vary in accordance with the borrower's family size and income, and the loan may be repaid over up to 12 years. For certain programs, single-family homes can receive a 0% interest rate if the family has below a 50% Median Income.

Applications for these programs are available from the program web site above. In addition to the application, the borrower must submit copies of the past two years' federal tax

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Local Option - Solar, Wind & Biomass Energy Systems Exemption

Section 487 of the New York State Real Property Tax Law provides a 15-year real property tax exemption for solar, wind energy, and farm-waste energy systems constructed in New York State. As currently effective, the law is a local option exemption, meaning that local governments are permitted to decide whether or not to allow it. The exemption was mandatory prior to a 1990 reenactment in which the local option clause was added. The exemption is valid unless a government opts out of the exemption, as opposed to the more common practice of requiring governments to "opt-in" in order to offer

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Property Tax Exemption for Renewable Energy Systems

In Iowa, the market value added to a property by a solar or wind energy system is exempt from the state's property tax for 5 full assessment years. Residential geothermal systems are exempt for 10 years. Eligible systems include:

  • a system of equipment capable of collecting and converting incident solar radiation or wind energy into thermal, mechanical, or electrical energy and transforming these forms of energy by a separate apparatus to storage or to a point of use which is constructed or installed after January 1, 1978;
  • a system that uses the basic design of the building to maximize solar
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Active Solar Heating and Cooling Systems Exemption

Active solar heating and cooling systems may not be assessed at more than the value of a conventional system for property tax purposes. This law applies only to active solar systems and does not include any land or structural elements of buildings, such as walls and roofs, or other equipment ordinarily contained in a building. Specifically, a "system" includes all controls, tanks, pumps, heat exchangers and other equipment used directly and exclusively for the conversion of solar energy for heating or cooling. Systems placed on residential, commercial and industrial property are eligible for this exclusion.

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Biogas, Solar, and Wind Energy Equipment Exemption

In Wisconsin, any value added by a biogas, or synthetic gas energy system, solar-energy system, or a wind-energy system is exempt from general property taxes. The exemption applies regardless of whether the equipment is deemed real property or personal property.

A fact sheet on this exemption is available: https://www.revenue.wi.gov/DORFAQ/renewable-energy.pdf

A link to the request form for this exemption is available: https://www.revenue.wi.gov/DORForms/pr-303.pdf

Eligible Technologies

A solar-energy system is defined as "equipment which directly converts and then transfers or stores solar energy into usable forms of thermal or electrical energy, but does not include equipment or components that would be present as

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Renewable Energy Systems Property Tax Exemption

The Texas property tax code allows an exemption of the amount of 100% of the appraised property value increase arising from the installation or construction of a solar or wind-powered energy device that is primarily for the production and distribution of thermal, mechanical, or electrical energy for on-site use and devices used to store that energy.

Under H.B. 2500 (2013), solar energy devices installed or constructed on or after January 1, 2014, used for a commercial purpose are subject to the cost method of appraisal, and the depreciated value must be calculated using a useful life of 10 years

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Renewable Energy Systems Exemption

Note: This exemption may not be allowed for the tax years beginning after July 1, 2029.

Oregon law states that any change in real market value to property due to the installation of a qualifying renewable energy system is exempt from assessment of the property’s value for property tax purposes. Qualifying renewables include solar, geothermal, wind, water, fuel cell or methane gas systems used to heat, cool or generate electricity. This exemption is intended for end users and only applies to systems that are net metered or primarily intended to offset on-site electricity use.  Systems installed on real property that

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Public Benefits Programs


Although Pennsylvania's December 1996 electricity restructuring law did not establish a clean-energy fund, four renewable and sustainable-energy funding programs were subsequently created through individual settlements with the state’s five major distribution utilities: Metropolitan Edison Company (Met-Ed), Pennsylvania Electric Company (Penelec), PECO Energy (PECO), PP&L (PPL), and Allegheny Power/West Penn Power Company (WPP). These utilities created individual "Sustainable Energy Funds" with the goals of promoting (1) the development and use of renewable energy and advanced clean-energy technologies, (2) energy conservation and efficiency, and (3) sustainable-energy businesses. Each utility has established an oversight board and designated a fund administrator.


The four Sustainable

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State Agency Loan Program

The State Agency Loan Program (SALP) was established in 1991 using funds from the Energy Overcharge Restitution Fund. Through this revolving loan program, the Maryland Energy Administration (MEA) provides loans to state agencies for cost-effective energy efficiency improvements in state facilities. Typical loan amounts range from $50,000 to $250,000. State agencies pay zero interest with a one percent administration fee. Their repayments are made from the agency's fuel and utility budget, based on the avoided energy costs of the project. Repayments replenish the fund so that it can continue to make additional loans each year. During 2011 alone the MEA reports

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