House File 370 - Introduced HOUSE FILE 370 BY KAJTAZOVIC , BERRY , M. SMITH , KEARNS , HANSON , WITTNEBEN , WESSEL-KROESCHELL , GAINES , LENSING , ABDUL-SAMAD , MASCHER , STECKMAN , THEDE , HUNTER , WENTHE , HALL , KRESSIG , WOLFE , KELLEY , ISENHART , SWAIM , MURPHY , HEDDENS , and GASKILL (COMPANION TO SF 99 BY BOLKOM) A BILL FOR An Act establishing a solar energy rebate program and fund, and 1 making an appropriation. 2 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 3 TLSB 1790HH (7) 84 rn/nh

H.F. 370 Section 1. NEW SECTION . 469.12 Solar energy rebate program. 1 1. The office shall establish a solar energy rebate program. 2 The purpose of the program is to offer financial incentives to 3 encourage the installation of solar thermal and photovoltaic 4 solar energy systems in the commercial, agricultural, and 5 residential sectors. 6 2. Sixty percent of the moneys deposited in the solar 7 energy rebate program fund pursuant to section 469.13 shall be 8 allocated for the awarding of rebates to qualifying commercial 9 or agricultural applicants, and forty percent of such moneys 10 shall be allocated for awards to qualifying residential 11 applicants. A rebate may be received for up to thirty percent 12 of the costs of installation, subject to a maximum award of 13 fifteen thousand dollars for a commercial or agricultural 14 installation and three thousand dollars for a residential 15 installation. The amount of a rebate for which an applicant 16 may be eligible shall be reduced by the amount of any similar 17 rebate or incentive for the development of alternate or 18 renewable energy awarded by the applicant’s electric utility 19 for the same installation. 20 3. Eligibility criteria for the program shall include the 21 following: 22 a. An applicant shall complete and submit an energy audit 23 conducted either by or on behalf of the applicant’s electric 24 utility or through a private energy audit service. 25 b. The solar thermal or photovoltaic system must qualify 26 for the energy star efficiency rating developed by the United 27 States environmental protection agency. 28 c. The installation must be performed by a licensed or 29 certified installer qualified to install solar energy systems 30 and equipment, and must meet or exceed all applicable local 31 building codes and ordinances. 32 d. An applicant must meet eligibility criteria for the 33 awarding of any similar rebate or incentive for the development 34 of alternate or renewable energy offered by the applicant’s 35 -1- LSB 1790HH (7) 84 rn/nh 1/ 3

H.F. 370 electric utility, if applicable. 1 4. Application forms and additional approval criteria shall 2 be established by the office by rule. 3 Sec. 2. NEW SECTION . 469.13 Solar energy rebate program —— 4 fund established —— appropriation. 5 1. A solar energy rebate program fund is created in the 6 state treasury to be administered by the office. Moneys 7 deposited in or appropriated to the fund shall be used to 8 administer the solar energy rebate program and award rebates 9 pursuant to section 469.12. 10 2. There is annually appropriated from the general fund 11 of the state to the office the sum of ten million dollars for 12 deposit into the fund to administer the solar energy rebate 13 program. Notwithstanding section 8.33, moneys appropriated in 14 this section that remain unencumbered or unobligated at the 15 close of the fiscal year shall not revert but shall remain 16 available for expenditure for the purposes designated until the 17 close of the succeeding fiscal year. 18 EXPLANATION 19 This bill establishes a solar energy rebate program 20 administered by the office of energy independence to encourage 21 the installation of solar thermal and photovoltaic solar energy 22 systems in the commercial, agricultural, and residential 23 sectors. 24 The bill provides that moneys appropriated for the program 25 shall be allocated on the basis of 60 percent for rebates 26 to qualifying commercial or agricultural applicants, and 40 27 percent to qualifying residential applicants. The bill states 28 that an applicant may receive a rebate for up to 30 percent 29 of system installation costs, subject to a maximum award of 30 $15,000 for a commercial or agricultural installation and 31 $3,000 for a residential installation, but reduced by the 32 amount of any similar rebate or incentive for the development 33 of alternate or renewable energy awarded by the applicant’s 34 electric utility for the same installation. 35 -2- LSB 1790HH (7) 84 rn/nh 2/ 3

H.F. 370 To be eligible for a rebate, the bill states an applicant 1 shall complete and submit an energy audit, the installation 2 must qualify for the energy star efficiency rating developed 3 by the United States environmental protection agency, the 4 installation must be performed by a licensed or certified 5 installer qualified to install solar energy systems and 6 equipment and meet or exceed all applicable local building 7 codes and ordinances, and an applicant must meet eligibility 8 criteria for the awarding of any similar rebate or incentive 9 for the development of alternate or renewable energy offered 10 by the applicant’s electric utility, if applicable. The 11 bill provides that application forms and additional approval 12 criteria shall be established by the office by rule. 13 The bill establishes a solar energy rebate program fund 14 in the state treasury under the control of the office, and 15 appropriates $10 million annually from the general fund of the 16 state for deposit into the fund to administer the program and 17 award rebates. The bill provides that amounts so appropriated 18 remaining unencumbered or unobligated at the close of the 19 fiscal year shall not revert but shall remain available for 20 expenditure for the purposes designated until the close of the 21 succeeding fiscal year. 22 -3- LSB 1790HH (7) 84 rn/nh 3/ 3