state incentives

The majority of state governments provide some type of incentive for solar energy.  The best source for getting information on incentives in your state is a national database of energy incentives and regulations being maintained by the North Carolina Solar Center and the Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC) funded by the U.S. Department of Energy.   You can see this database by going to www.dsireusa.org. You can also get information by contacting your local State Energy Office.

One of the really great things about the DSIRE database is that it has maps and tables that let you look at how different states have approached incentives for solar energy.  The maps and tables are a quick way of understanding what type of incentives your particular state offers. 

DSIRE Tables

• Financial Incentives for Renewable Energy table shows tax incentives, grants, loans, rebates, industry recruitment, bond programs, and production incentives.
• The Financial Incentives for Energy Efficiency table shows tax incentives, grants, loans, rebates, and bond programs.
• The Rules, Regulations, & Policies for Renewable Energy table shows public benefits funds, renewables portfolio standards, net metering, interconnection standards, extension analysis, generation disclosure, contractor licensing, equipment certification, solar/wind access laws, construction & design standards (including building energy codes and energy standards for public buildings), requirements to offer a green power product, and green power purchasing/aggregation policies.
• The Rules, Regulations, & Policies for Energy Efficiency table shows appliance/equipment standards, energy standards for public buildings, building energy codes, and public benefits funds.

DSIRE Maps

The DSIRE maps cover a variety of topics including illustrations on which states provide tax incentives, alternative energy loans, property tax exemptions and net metering.

• Contractor License Requirements
• Equipment Certification Requirements
• Generation Disclosure Rules
• Grant Programs
• Income Tax Incentives
• Loan Programs
• Net Metering
• Property Tax Exemptions
• Public Benefits Funds
• Rebate Programs
• Renewables Portfolio Standards
• Sales Tax Exemptions
• Solar/DG Provisions in RPS Policies