Solar Water Heat

Residential Renewable Energy Tax Credit

Note: The Taxpayer Certainty and Disaster Tax Relief Act of 2020, signed in December 2020, extended the phase out of this tax credit.

A taxpayer may claim a credit for a system that serves a dwelling unit located in the United States that is owned and used as a residence by the taxpayer. Expenditures with respect to the equipment are treated as made when the installation is completed. If the installation is at a new home, the "placed in service" date is the date of occupancy by the homeowner. Expenditures include labor costs for on-site preparation, assembly or original

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Energy-Efficient Mortgages

Homeowners can take advantage of energy efficient mortgages (EEM) to either finance energy efficiency improvements to existing homes, including renewable energy technologies, or to increase their home buying power with the purchase of a new energy efficient home. The U.S. federal government supports these loans by insuring them through Federal Housing Authority (FHA) or Veterans Affairs (VA) programs. This allows borrowers who might otherwise be denied loans to pursue energy efficiency, and it secures lenders against loan default.

FHA Energy Efficient Mortgages
The FHA allows lenders to add up to 100% of energy efficiency improvements to an existing mortgage loan

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Texas Gas Service - Commercial Energy Efficiency Rebate Program

Texas Gas Service (TGS) offers a range of financial incentives to commercial customers who purchase and install energy efficient commercial equipment. Eligible categories for rebate includes food service equipment, water heaters, dryers and transportation. Direct install measures are also available through the TGS Commercial Direct Install Program. Purchased equipment must meet all TGS requirements for efficiency and installation. To be eligible for this incentive, customers must be on an applicable rate code.  Certain rebates are available only to customers in specified service areas. Contact TGS for more information on this offering.

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State of NY Commercial PACE Financing Program

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 PACENow for more information about PACE financing
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Sustainable Energy Utility

The Delaware Sustainable Energy UtilityThe Delaware Sustainable Energy Utility (DESEU) was created in June, 2007 to serve as the "one-stop-shop" for sustainable energy services in Delaware. Through Energize Delaware, the state enables all energy end-users, regardless of market segment, fuel use, or utility service, to have access to incentives for renewable and efficient energy technologies. DESEU manages programs targeting energy efficiency, low income energy use, customer-sited renewable energy, alternative fuel vehicles and clean transportation, and green building. The DESEU also manages the Green Energy Fund in cooperation with the Delaware Energy Office. In 2019, Delaware had a net
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Public Benefits Fund

Public Benefits Fund HistoryWisconsin's public benefits fund (PBF), created in 1999, supports energy-efficiency programs, renewable-energy programs, and energy assistance for low-income households. Efforts in the mid-1990s to restructure and deregulate the electric utilities led numerous states to implement public benefits charges as a new source of funding for efficiency. These public benefits approaches established new structures under which utilities—or, in some states, separate efficiency utilities or other third parties—were tasked with administering and delivering energy efficiency, renewable energy, and low-income programs. Nationwide reported savings from utility and public benefits electricity programs in 2019 totaled 0.70% of sales, or 26.9
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System Benefits Charge

The New Mexico system benefits charge was replaced with the passing of the Efficient Use of Energy Act. 
As part of New Mexico's Electric Utility Industry Restructuring Act of 1999 the legislature created the Electric Industry System Benefits Fund for renewable energy, customer education, and low-income assistance. The fund is created through a charge of 0.03¢/kWh beginning January 1, 2002 and doubling in 2007. The charge is collected from all electric utilities, both private and public. The funds will support renewable energy up to $4 million to be used by school districts, cities, towns, villages, or counties. Renewable technologies
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Energy Loan Fund (ELF)


The Energy Loan Fund provides low-cost financing to Ohio-based small businesses, manufacturers, nonprofits,  and public entities for energy efficiency improvements. Through the Energy Loan Fund eligible applicants receive low-interest financing to install efficiency measures that reduce energy by at least 15 percent. For further information regarding eligibility, please view the Program Guidelines and Application Process. The Energy Loan Fund is managed by the Ohio Development Services Agency. Funding is provided through the Ohio Advanced Energy Fund and the Federal State Energy Program.

Project Funding

Funding available under these Guidelines is up to $9.5 million in state funds for Fiscal 

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New Hampshire - Solar Access Laws

New Hampshire State laws give municipalities broad jurisdiction over solar access regulation. Regulation is directionally intended to encourage the use of renewable energy sources and systems. The state itself creates the forms to declare solar easements.

Note: The 2015 New Hampshire Residential Rooftop Solar PV Permitting, Zoning and Interconnection Guide is an excellent resource to refer to for more details and related information. (Most information is up to date but no guarantees are made)

Section 477:50:1 

Creates Solar Skyspace Easements. Defining the agreement as “An instrument creating a solar skyspace easement shall include, but not be limited to: (a)

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City of Sebastopol - Solar Access

As a condition of approval of a property subdivision parcel map, the City of Sebastopol has the right to ask for dedication of solar easements for the purpose of assuring that each parcel or unit in the subdivision receives sunlight for any solar energy system. Sebastopol also has the right to place restrictions on vegetation or building that would interfere with solar access. These easements can be required as long as they do not reduce allowable densities or the percentage of a lot that can be occupied by a structure according to applicable zoning laws. The easements do not apply

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