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Category: Alternative & Renewable Energy

Long Island Power Authority to Seek Stimulus Dollars for 50 Megawatts of Green Power

Long Island Power Authority to Seek Stimulus Dollars for 50 Megawatts of Green Power

Governor Paterson last Friday announced the results of an RFP that the state issued in April of 2008 for a solar power project on Long Island. BP Solar will build a 36.9 megawatt facility at Brookhaven National Laboratory and enXco a 13.1 megawatt series of installations across public and private properties in Nassau and Suffolk Counties. 50 megawatts of solar power would triple New York State’s current capacity and serve 6500 residential LIPA customers annually. NYSERDA has already given LIPA $15 million for the project while it negotiates power purchase agreements (“PPAs”) with BP and enXco; these agreements typically run for twenty (20) years and contemplate the PPA provider (here, BP and enXco) selling the electricity generated by the installation to a utility company during the course of the agreement. LIPA will make the terms of these particular PPAs available once executed. According to GlobeSt.com, LIPA is attempting to secure stimulus dollars for the project. Note that the project would be eligible for the federal solar power tax credit (extended under TARP through the end of 2016) provided that it is operational before December 31, 2016; the available credit is equal to 30 percent of the cost of the installation and there is no maximum credit limit.

Mar 05, 2009 | 1 comment | View Post
Bailout Provides Significant Expansion & Extension of Business Energy Tax Credit

Bailout Provides Significant Expansion & Extension of Business Energy Tax Credit

In a previous article here at GRELJ, I discussed the Section 179D Energy Efficient Commercial Buildings Tax Deduction, which was extended by the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 (again, the formal title for the $700 million federal bailout that was passed back on October 3). As I also noted previously, the Bailout also significantly expands the Business Energy Tax Credit that was previously enacted as Section 48 of the 2005 Energy Policy Act. The duration of available tax credits for solar energy, fuel cell, and microturbine installations has been extended for 8 years until December 31, 2016. The Bailout also increases the available credit amount for fuel cell installations and provides new credits for small wind energy systems, geothermal heat pumps, and combined heat and power systems. Generally speaking, in order to qualify for the Business Energy Tax Credit, the original use of the system must begin with the taxpayer, or the system must be constructed by the taxpayer. It must also meet any performance standards in effect at the time the system is acquired (such as those set forth by the manufacturer). The equipment must also be operational during the year in which the tax credit is claimed in order for the taxpayer to earn the credit. This article provides a brief overview of the available credits for each qualifying type of technology.

Jan 14, 2009 | 0 comments | View Post