Financing and Incentives
Tax Relief and Health Care Act of 2006
Extends the production tax credit through 2008 for electricity produced from wind power, geothermal power, biomass, landfill gas, small irrigation power, and trash combustion facilities. The act provides a similar one-year tax credit extension for new properties that produce geothermal power or make use of solar energy; for homeowners that purchase solar water heating, solar photovoltaic, or fuel cell systems; for businesses that purchase fiber-optic lighting systems, solar energy systems, or fuel cell power plants; for new energy-efficient homes; and for energy-efficiency improvements to commercial buildings.
The act extends the Clean Renewable Energy Bonds program through 2008, and increases the total annual amount of tax-credit bonds to $1.2 billion. It extends special tax allowances for cellulosic ethanol facilities to include plants placed in service by 2012. It also extends the research and development tax credit, which encourages businesses to invest in new innovations.
2004
Guidebook of Funds and Incentives for Distributed Energy
Resources
Covers federal, state and utility grant programs, renewable
energy funds, tax incentives, and rebates available to energy service
companies, developers, and businesses interested in implementing
distributed energy resource projects.
Borrower's Guide to Financing Solar
Energy Systems
This booklet provides
information to assist both lenders and consumers in financing both solar electric
and solar thermal systems. It includes information about other
ways to make solar energy systems more affordable, as well as descriptions of
special mortgage programs for energy-efficient homes.
Bright
Ideas in Renewable Energy
This guide includes
a primer on renewable energy, an explanation of universal system benefits funds,
an example of a renewable energy proposal, answers to frequently asked questions,
a glossary of terms, a list of Montana renewable energy dealers and installers,
a sheet describing NorthWestern Energy's net-metering requirements, the interconnection
agreement the utility requires, and a Request for Proposal form.
Clean
Power Research
Clean Power Research designs analytical methods to evaluate clean energy investments
(photovoltaics, solar thermal, wind, energy efficiency) and builds software programs
based on these methods. These programs are licensed to vendors and other parties
to help their customers make purchase decisions. This site contains 10+ years
of research results.
Database of State Incentives for Renewable
Energy (DSIRE)
A comprehensive source of information on state, local, utility, and
selected federal incentives that promote renewable energy.
Searchable by state, keyword, and topic area.
Electric
Utility Industry Restructuring
The Montana Public
Service Commission has created a restructuring page on its website with links
to all the documents you'll need to understand this important and complex issue.
Also see the online summary of the Montana Electric Utility Industry Restructuring
and Consumer Choice Act.
Energize
Montana
Maintained by the Montana Department of Environmental
Quality, this website includes an explanation of tax incentives available in the state, net metering
laws, and more.
Financial
Incentives for Business Investments in Renewable Energy Systems
There are a variety of financial incentives available on utility, state government,
and Federal government levels for businesses to invest in or purchase renewable
energy systems. This publication serves only as a general guide. Many of the programs
described are affected by year-to-year budget cycles and appropriations. You should
consult state and Federal tax codes and/or a certified public accountant or tax
attorney to determine exact eligibility and provisions for financial incentives.
Financing
Solutions from the Department of Energy
This website will guide
homeowners to lenders, state-specific incentives, and products and services that can
help get an energy efficiency or
renewable energy project off the ground. The site also has financing information
for small businesses, industry and information on utility and state and local
government incentives.
Montana Energy-Related Tax Benefits
The Montana Department of Environmental Quality website features a guide
to state tax benefits for conserving energy, producing and using alternative
energy, and recycling. Tax forms and instructions can also be downloaded
from the Department
of Revenue website.
National
Association of Regulatory Commissioners
Aims to provide utility customers
with energy services that are environmentally sustainable and affordable. The committee
analyzes, develops, and advocates market structures and regulatory frameworks
that support and promote energy efficiency, environmental protection, renewable
and distributed resources, consumer protection, low-income weatherization and
assistance, and "public interest" research and development.
Off-grid
Home Loans
Identifies institutions that will provide loans to homes without
public electric utilities.
Renewable Energy Tax Incentives
for 2003
Lists all Montana incentives
– tax and otherwise – for renewable energy development. Some
are for individuals only; some are for businesses only; many are for both. The incentives apply to most kinds of renewable energy.
Residential
Geothermal Systems Credit
Montana allows individuals
to claim an income tax credit up to $250 for the cost of installation of a geothermal
energy system. This credit is allowable for the 3 years following the year of
installation. However, there is no carry-back or carry-forward of the credit permitted.
The only other states with programs specifically targeting geothermal technologies
are California (grant), Indiana (property tax), and North Dakota (income tax). For
more information, contact DEQ at
406-444-2544.
Renewable
Energy Production Incentive
Part of an integrated strategy
in the Energy Policy Act of 1992 to promote increases in the generation and utilization
of electricity from renewable energy sources and to further the advances of renewable
energy technologies. This program, authorized under section 1212 of the Energy
Policy Act of 1992, provides financial incentive payments for electricity produced
and sold by new qualifying renewable energy generation facilities.
Renewable
Energy Systems Exemption
Montana exempts from
property taxation the value added by a qualified renewable energy source. Qualified
equipment includes active and passive solar, geothermal, wind, and low emission
wood or biomass combustion devices. Such equipment is exempt from taxation for
a period of 10 years following installation. The value added exemption applies
to systems with up to $20,000 in value in the case of a single-family residential
dwelling and $100,000 in the case of a multifamily residential dwelling or a nonresidential
structure. For more information, contact DEQ at 406-444-2544.
Solar
and Wind Easements
Montana's solar and
wind easement provisions allow property owners to create solar and wind easements
for the purpose of protecting and maintaining proper access to sunlight and wind.
While thirty-two other states have solar easement provisions, only three other
states have created specific provisions for the creation of wind easements. Montana's
solar easement law was enacted in 1979 and the wind easement was enacted in 1983.
For more information, contact Tom Livers, DEQ, at
406-444-6776.
Universal
System Benefits Programs
The 1997 Legislature, in enacting the Electric Utility Industry
Restructuring and Customer Choice Act (EUIRCCA), established universal
system benefits (USB) programs.The purpose of
the USB fund is "to ensure continued funding
of and new expenditures for energy conservation, renewable resource
projects and applications, energy conservation measures for irrigated
agriculture, and low-income energy assistance during the transition period
and into the future." USB programs are public purpose programs that include:
- cost-effective local
energy conservation
- low-income customer
weatherization
- reducing energy costs of
irrigated agriculture in Montana through conservation and
- efficiency measures
- renewable resource
projects and applications, including those that capture unique social
and energy system benefits or provide transmission and distribution
system benefits
- research and development
programs for energy conservation and renewables market transformation
to encourage competitive markets for public purpose programs
- low-income energy
assistance
Wind
Energy System Credit
Montana allows a 35
percent tax credit for an individual, partnership or corporation which makes an
investment of $5,000 or more in a wind electricity generating system or facilities
to manufacture wind energy equipment. Eligible property includes wind energy system
equipment, transmission lines, and equipment used in the manufacture of wind energy
devices. For more information, contact DEQ at 406-444-2544.
Wind
Energy System or Manufacturing Facility Credit
Montana allows a 35
percent tax credit for an individual, partnership or corporation which makes an
investment of $5,000 or more in a wind electricity generating system or facilities
to manufacture wind energy equipment. Eligible property includes wind energy system
equipment, transmission lines, and equipment used in the manufacture of wind energy
devices. For more information, contact DEQ at 406-444-2544. |
