Rebates

New Hampshire offers rebates for residential solar water-heating systems. The rebate is equal to $1,500 for systems with an annual estimated output of 5.5 MMBTU to 19.9 MMBTU; $1,700 for systems with an annual estimated output of 20 MMBTU to 29.9 MMBTU; and $1,900 for systems with an annual estimated output of 30 MMBTU or more. Rebates will be awarded for eligible projects as long as program funding is available.

The application process consists of two steps. The first step is required for pre-approval and to reserve a rebate, and the second step is the final application for the rebate payment. Systems must be installed

In March 2010, South Dakota established a new property tax incentive that replaced two existing property tax incentives for renewable energy. Facilities that generate electricity using wind, solar, hydro, hydrogen generated by another eligible resource, or biomass resources are eligible for this incentive, as are facilities that generate other forms of energy using solar or geothermal resources.

For eligible facilities less than 5 megawatts (MW) in capacity, all real property used or constructed for the purpose of producing electricity is assessed in the same manner as other real property. However, the first $50,000 or 70% of the assessed value of

In 2008, Massachusetts enacted the Green Communities Act (S.B. 2768), creating the Green Communities Division within the Department of Energy Resources (DOER) to support Massachusetts communities efforts towards a sustainable future, specifically in terms of energy use.

The Green Communities Division offers educational, technical, and networking support to the states' communities. In addition, they provide financial incentives. The Green Communities Grant Program offers funding for communities investing in energy efficiency upgrades and policies, renewable energy technologies, and energy management systems and services.

To be eligible, communities first must apply for and achieve official designation as a "Green Community."

Note: In 2010, the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA), which has authority over mortgage underwriters Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, directed these enterprises against purchasing mortgages of homes with a PACE lien due to its senior status above a mortgage. Most residential PACE activity subsided following this directive; however, some residential PACE programs are now operating with loan loss reserve funds, appropriate disclosures, or other protections meant to address FHFA's concerns. Commercial PACE programs were not directly affected by FHFA’s actions, as Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac do not underwrite commercial mortgages. Visit PACENation for more information about PACE financing

Residential solar energy systems are exempted from property tax assessments in New Mexico in most circumstances. For the purposes of determining property taxes, the value of a property cannot increase by the greater of 3% of the previous year's assessment or 6.1% of the assessment from two years ago according to state law. An assessment may exceed these restrictions, however, if physical improvements are made to the property. Under H.B. 233, enacted in 2010, residential solar systems will not be treated as physical improvements and therefore will not increase the value of the property for property tax purposes. Future assessments

River Falls Municipal Utilities (RFMU) offers loans of $2,500 - $50,000 to its residential customers for the installation of photovoltaic (PV), solar thermal, geothermal, wind electric systems. The program will also support the installation of energy efficiency measures in connection with a qualifying renewable energy project, provided that the renewable energy portion of the project comprises at least 50% of project costs. Systems that generate renewable electricity must be connected to the RFMU distribution grid. Loan terms vary by project, but may range from 5 -20 years at a current interest rate of 4%. Actual loan terms will be determined

In New Jersey, under the Farmland Assessment Act, farmland actively devoted to an agricultural or horticultural use is assessed at its productivity value. This practice generally results in a lower tax burden for farmland owners compared to residential or commercial land owners. In January 2010 New Jersey enacted legislation (S.B. 1538), which among other things clarifies how farmland used for biomass, solar, and wind energy generation should be treated under the Farmland Assessment Act. Ultimately, the law states that the addition of a biomass, solar, or wind energy generating system to land that was assessed and taxed as

In March 2009 New Jersey enacted legislation (A.B. 1558) designed to support the integration of solar energy systems into new residential developments. The law requires that developers of residential developments with 25 or more dwelling units must "offer to install, or to provide for installation of, a solar energy system" when techinically feasible.

 Solar energy systems are defined to include systems that use solar energy to provide "all or a portion of the heating, cooling, or general energy needs of a dwelling unit, including, but not limited to, nocturnal heat radiation, flat plate or focusing solar collectors, or

Eligible Technologies

Photovoltaic Energy, wind energy, hydroelectric energy, landfill gas, biomass, ocean and microturbine systems.

Requirements

In July 2009, the Virgin Islands (USVI) passed Act 7075. Among other provisions, the legislation establishes that the "peak demanded generating capacity" of the Virgin Islands Water and Power Authority* must be from renewables according to the following schedule:

• 20% by January 1, 2015
• 25% by January 1, 2020
• 30% by January 1, 2025

It further establishes that a "majority" of this generating capacity must come from renewables or alternative technologies beyond 2025. Joint rulemaking is to be undertaken by the Virgin Islands Energy

The New Hampshire Community Loan Fund and the New Hampshire Community Development Finance Authority (CDFA) offer the Enterprise Energy Fund. This revolving loan is funded through New Hampshire's State Energy Program allocation under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). The purpose of the fund is to help business owners and non-profit organizations in the state make energy improvements for their buildings. 

A wide range of activities are eligible for funding including energy audits, whole building improvements, equipment and appliance upgrades, lighting upgrades, heating and cooling upgrades, solar thermal technologies, and renewable energy installations, among others. The CDFA and Community