Hawaii Solar Installation Rights

Hawaii law prohibits the creation of any covenant or restriction contained in any document restricting the installation or use of a solar energy system on a residential dwelling or townhouse. Furthermore, Hawaii requires homeowners associations to adopt rules that provide for the placement of solar energy systems and do not unreasonably restrict the placement. In July 2010, SB 2817 was enacted that clarified this requirement and required homeowners associations to pass rules by July 1, 2011 in accordance with this requirement. This legislation states that homeowners associations' rules and regulations cannot "render a solar energy device more than 25 per

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Net Metering

Note: In April 2021, the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission approved a proposal from CenterPoint South (formerly Vectren, Southern Indiana Gas & Electric Company) for a new distributed generation rate under the framework established by S.B. 309. The new rate uses a net billing system with instantaneous netting, with exported electricity compensated at 1.25* the locational marginal price (LMP) at CenterPoint's load node. As of March 2024, AES Indiana, Indiana Michigan Power, NIPSCO, and Duke Energy Indiana have filed updated tariffs with similar structures.

Note: Senate Bill 309, signed into law in May 2017, makes important changes to Indiana's compensation
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Energy Conservation in Public Buildings

The Florida Energy Conservation and Sustainable Buildings Act requires the use of energy-efficient equipment and design, and solar energy devices for heating and cooling state buildings where life-cycle cost analysis determines that solar-energy systems will be cost-effective over the life of the building. Florida law also requires that all new educational facilities include passive solar design. Florida mandates that schools with hot water demands exceeding 1,000 gallons per day must include a solar water heating system that provides at least 65% of hot water needs whenever economically feasible.

In June 2008, Florida enacted legislation (HB 7135) mandating that buildings constructed
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Mandatory Renewable Energy Educational Materials

If an electric utility must construct a line extension for a customer, and the utility requires the customer to pay a Contribution in Aid to Construction (CIAC) or a pre-payment charge, or to sign a contract with a term of one year or longer, the utility must provide the customer with information about on-site renewable energy and distributed-generation (DG) technology alternatives. The information must be provided to the customer at the time of the CIAC estimate or pre-payment. This information must comply with guidelines established by the Public Utilities Commission of Texas (PUCT), and must be provided to the customer

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Nonrefundable Business Activity Tax Credit

This program was repealed by Act 90 of 2019 and will expire for tax years beginning after December 31, 2031.

Note: Public Act 38 of 2011 repealed the Michigan Business Tax (MBT) and implemented the Corporate Income Tax (CIT). Public Act 39 was passed in conjunction with the CIT and allows for certain credits awarded under the MBT to be retained for the duration of the agreements. Businesses receiving certain credits, including Renaissance Zone credits, may choose to either continue to file under the MBT to continue claiming their credits, or file under the CIT. Certain Renaissance Zone credits will

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Energy Efficiency Standards for State Buildings

Arizona has energy requirements for state buildings contained within their statutes. A.R.S. § 34-451 requires the Department of Administration, the Department of Transportation, and the Arizona Board of Regents to reduce their energy use by 15% by July 1, 2011 using July 1, 2001 through June 30, 2002 as the baseline year. As a whole, the three building systems reduced their energy usage on a BTU per square foot basis by 15.8% by July 2011, meeting the requirements of the statute.

The statute also requires all departments to purchase products certified by Energy Star or the Federal Energy Management Program

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Austin Energy - Net Metering

Eligibility and Availability

Austin Energy, the municipal utility of Austin Texas, offers net metering to its non-residential retail electricity customers for renewable energy systems up to 20 kilowatts (kW). Austin Energy offers the Value of Solar rate instead of net metering for residential customers with solar photovoltaic (PV) systems no larger than 20 kW. The current Performance Based Incentive Rate being accepted is $0.09/kWh for a ten year term.

The definition of renewable includes solar, wind, geothermal, hydroelectric, wave and tidal energy, biomass, and biomass-based waste products, including landfill gas.

Systems must be used primarily to offset a

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Solar and Wind Contractor Licensing

The Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection (DCP) is authorized to issue licenses for solar-thermal work, solar-electric work and wind-electric work. "Solar thermal work" is defined as "the installation, erection, repair, replacement, alteration, or maintenance of active, passive and hybrid solar systems that directly convert ambient energy into heat or convey, store or distribute such ambient energy." Solar electricity work is defined as "the installation, erection, repair, replacement, alteration, or maintenance of photovoltaic or wind generation equipment used to distribute or store ambient energy for heat, light, power or other purposes to a point immediately inside any structure or adjacent to
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Solar Contractor Licensing

Florida has licensing requirements for all solar contractors. State licensure for such contractors is required by those who install, alter, repair, maintain, relocate, or replace a solar thermal or solar photovoltaic system. Those employed by a licensed contractor are not required to be licensed. Plumbing contractors are also allowed to provide services related to installing, maintaining, repairing, and altering solar heating water systems. Such contractors can do so without obtaining additional local regulatory licenses, certificates, or registrations.

To qualify for a license, installers must have four years of experience, which may include both installation and education and one year must

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Solar Design Standards for State Buildings

Arizona law requires that new state building projects over 6,000 square feet follow prescribed solar design standards. Solar improvements should be evaluated on the basis of life cycle costs. Affected buildings include buildings designed and constructed by the department of administration, school districts and universities. These projects must include an evaluation of: (a) proper site orientation; (b) active and passive solar energy systems for space heating; (c) solar water heating; and (d) use of solar daylighting devices. 


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