Solar Energy System and Cogeneration System Personal Property Tax Credit

Summary

The District of Columbia Council created a personal property tax exemption for solar energy systems and cogeneration systems within the District by enacting B19-0749 in December of 2012. Systems using exclusively solar energy as defined in § 34-1431(14)) are exempt from personal property tax; provided, that, notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Chief Financial Officer shall transfer $120,000 from the certified revenues deposited in the Renewable Energy Development Fund established by § 34-1436 to the unrestricted fund balance of the General Fund of the District of Columbia and shall recognize the $120,000 as local funds revenue in fiscal year 2013 and in each subsequent fiscal year.

Eligible solar systems Solar energy is defined by D.C. Code § 34-1431 to mean "radiant energy, direct, diffuse, or reflected, received from the sun at wavelengths suitable for conversion into thermal, chemical, or electrical energy, that is collected, generated, or stored for use at a later time". This seemingly broad definition can include solar photovoltaics (PV), solar thermal, or any other energy technology that uses solar energy.

Eligible cogeneration systems are defined as those which "produce both electric energy and steam or forms of useful energy which are used for industrial, commercial, heating or cooling purposes".