Rebates

Much of the information presented in this summary is drawn from the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Building Energy Codes Program and the Building Codes Assistance Project (BCAP). For more detailed information about building energy codes, visit the DOE and BCAP websites.

Effective July 1, 2020, Nebraska recently adopted the 2018 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) and ASHRAE 90.1-2016 for residential and commercial buildings. 

The State Building Administrator of the Department of Administrative Services, in consultation with the State Energy Office, may specify a more recent edition of the IECC, additional energy efficiency or renewable energy requirements for buildings, and

The Nebraska Dollar and Energy Savings Loan program was created in 1990 using oil overcharge funds. The program, administered by the Nebraska Energy Office, makes available low-interest loans for residential and commercial energy efficiency improvements and renewable energy projects. 

Renewable energy projects may be eligible for a loan under one of two circumstances. First, a project may be eligible if it is included in a list of prequalified improvements. This list includes a variety of renewable energy projects, including wind, photovoltaics, solar hot water heating, and fuel cells. Second, projects not listed as prequalified improvements may be eligible with the

In May 2009 Nebraska established statewide interconnection and net metering rules for all electric utilities in Nebraska (see L.B. 436).

Process

The customer-generator must pay for costs incurred by the local distribution utility for equipment or services required for interconnection that would not be necessary if the qualified facility were not interconnected to the local distribution system, except the utility is required to provide at no additional cost to any customer-generator with a qualified facility a metering system that is capable of measuring the flow of electricity in both directions.

To be eligible, a qualified facility must meet all

Lincoln Electric System offers a one-time capacity payment to the owner of the renewable generation based on the contribution of peak reduction by the renewable resource, valued at a traditional resource cost of $1,000 per kW-AC. Capacity increases or additions in future years will be eligible for the capacity payment. The total amount customers can receive is determined by the type and efficiency of the technology installed, for example:

• Southern facing fixed-photovoltaic solar: the unit’s nameplate DC capacity (kW) * $375.
• Western facing or single or dual axis tracking fixed-photovoltaic solar: the unit’s nameplate DC capacity (kW) * $475.
• Wind - no

By taking advantage of the Sustainable Energy Program, you can save money, help reduce the need for energy during expensive peak periods and help delay the necessity to build high-cost power plants.

Lincoln Electric System’s Sustainable Energy Program is returning in 2021 with $1.25 million in incentive funds. Established in 2009, LES’ Sustainable Energy Program, or SEP, offers these incentives to encourage LES customers to utilize energy-efficient equipment, helping to manage electricity demand for the entire service territory.

Over the program’s 12 years in existence, LES customers have accessed nearly $27 million in SEP incentives and spent $185 million on energy-efficient equipment and/or services.

This year’s SEP offers incentives for:

Residential and commercial heat pump water heater incentive of $500 to encourage customers to consider switching from conventional electric tank storage to

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 activities 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.org for more information about PACE financing and

MidAmerican Energy offers basic energy efficiency incentives for residential customers in Nebraska. These incentives include gas heating equipment such as furnaces and water heaters. Rebates are issued on a first-come, first-served basis. Rebates cannot exceed 70% of the equipment cost. Equipment cost does not include labor. Contact MidAmerican Energy for more information on this program or view the program web site.

Nebraska Public Power District customers, including wholesale customers, have access to several electric vehicle incentive programs.

NPPD offers a $4,000 rebate on non-hybrid battery electric vehicles.

Residential incentives for make-ready wiring for level 2 charging are $200 for new construction, and 100% of cost, up to $400 for existing construction.

Residential installations of wi-fi enabled 32A chargepoint chargers are eligible for a $500 rebate if the customer agrees to 36 months of charger data sharing via wi-fi.

Commercial make-ready wiring is eligible for a $1,000 incentive.

Commercial installations of public or workplace DC Fast Charging or Level 2 Charging are

The Nebraska Public Power District offers rebates to homeowners who purchase energy efficient heat pumps, upgrade their insulation, install LED lighting, and/or have their cooling system tuned-up. The High Efficiency Heat Pump Program offers rebates for both air-source and geothermal heat pumps. Once the installing contractor has installed the heat pump, they must conduct a Performance Verification Test of the system. Results from this test must be attached to the program application. If the installed heat pump is 14 SEER or higher, the installing contractor can also receive a $50 rebate.

The Cooling System Tune-Up Program offers a $30 incentive to

Nebraska's solar and wind agreement provisions allow property owners to create binding solar and wind easements, among other types of agreements, for the purpose of protecting and maintaining proper access to sunlight and wind. The initial term of a wind agreement may not exceed 40 years. Additionally, a wind agreement will terminate if development has not commenced within 10 years of the effective date of the wind agreement. If all parties involved agree to extend this period, however, the agreement may be extended. Wind developers are required to ensure decommissioning funds are available for inactive systems.

Local Ordinances and Zoning

In May 2009, Nebraska enacted L.B. 436, which established statewide interconnection and net metering rules for all electric utilities in Nebraska.

Eligibility and Availability

Utilities are required to provide interconnection and net metering for a customer-generator’s “qualified facility,” which generates electricity from an energy source of solar, methane, wind, biomass, hydropower, or geothermal and has a rated capacity at or below 25 kilowatts (kW). Utilities are required to offer net metering until the aggregate generating capacity of all customer-generators equals 1% of the utility's average aggregate monthly peak demand for that year. Upon reaching the 1% threshold, a utility

There is no longer a specific wind energy conservation system permit, instead wind energy conservation systems are classified under special use permit procedures. The purpose of the special use permit is to provide for projects which have unusual site development or operating characteristics, potentially negative effects on surrounding neighborhoods, or substantial impact on Omaha's development objectives or realization of its comprehensive plan. These provisions are designed to incorporate complete review of these projects and to specify conditions by which these projects may be compatibly and soundly developed.

Note: Funding has been exhausted for this program.

Omaha Public Power District offers commercial fleet EV rebates for vehicle and charger purchases.

Fleet procurement of cars or light trucks and ChargePoint charging stations are eligible for a $2,500 rebate. Medium and heavy trucks and ChargePoint charging stations are eligible for a $4,500 rebate.

Omaha Public Power District discontinued a rebate of $2,500 to purchase a new fully electric vehicle and a ChargePoint Home charging station in 2021.

Note: In 2024, the Nebraska legislature passed L.B. 1317, which means that land underlying renewable energy facilities is no longer classified as agricultural. The Nebraska Department of Revenue issued Directive 24-3, which states that land underlying renewable energy facilities should be classified as undeveloped commercial land.

Personal Property

In 2010 Nebraska created a nameplate capacity tax that replaced the Nebraska Department of Revenue's central assessment and taxation of depreciable tangible personal property associated with wind energy generation facilities (see L.B. 1048). In 2015, eligibility was extended to solar, biomass, and landfill gas (see L.B. 424).

The nameplate capacity

Note: Enacted March 2015, L.B. 412 created the following requirement: "To the extent feasible, a C-BED project developer shall provide, in writing, notice of incentives pursuant to the Rural Community-Based Energy Development Act for local ownership and local participation in a C-BED project to each property owner on whose property a turbine will be located and to the elected governing body of each municipality or political subdivision in which a turbine will be located."

In May 2007 Nebraska established an exemption from the sales and use tax imposed on the gross receipts from the sale, lease, or rental of personal

Nebraska allows for a refund of the sales and use taxes paid for a renewable energy system used to produce electricity for sale. Investment in qualified property of at least thirty million dollars or for the production of electricity by using one or more sources of renewable energy to produce electricity for sale as described in subdivision (1)(j) of section 77-5715, investment in qualified property of at least twenty million dollars. The law describes eligible sources of renewable energy as including, but not limited to, wind, solar, geothermal, hydroelectric, biomass, and transmutation of elements. This refund does not apply to

Southern Power District (SPD) offers rebates for the purchase and installation of efficient air source heat pumps, water heaters, attic insulation, and HVAC tune-ups. All equipment efficiency standards and program requirements must be met in order to receive rebates. Program forms and applications are available on the program web site listed above. Contact SPD for more information on these incentives.

Southern Public Power District offers rebates to residential and commercial customers for the installation of EV chargers and wiring equipment. For more information, visit the program website.