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Nevada
Financial Incentives
Tax Benefits: Nonresidential buildings and multi-family residential buildings that earn LEED
certification are eligible for a partial abatement of property taxes if they earn a specified number
of points for energy conservation through the LEED rating system.1 New or expanded businesses
may apply for a property tax abatement of up to 55 percent for up to 20 years for real and
personal property used to generate electricity from renewable energy resources, as well as a sales
and use tax abatement for qualifying renewable energy technologies.2 Any value added by a
qualifying renewable energy system will be subtracted from the assessed value of any residential,
commercial or industrial building for property tax purposes.3
Rebates: Rebates are available through the RenewableGenerations Rebate Program for gridconnected PV systems installed on residences, small businesses, public buildings, nonprofits and
schools; small wind systems installed on residences, small businesses, agricultural sites, schools
and public buildings; and small hydroelectric systems installed at grid-connected agricultural
sites.4 Nevada also offers rebates for select Energy Star appliances installed in homes.5
Rules and Regulations
Renewable Portfolio Standard: Nevada’s RPS requires that utilities provide 12 percent of their
retail electricity sales from renewable energy sources by 2009, increasing to 25 percent in 2025.
Solar energy resources must account for 5 percent of the annual requirement through 2015,
increasing to 6 percent in 2016 (thus, in 2016, solar must account for 1.5 percent of retail sales).
In addition to solar, eligible renewable resources include wind, biomass, geothermal, waste tires,
certain hydro, and certain “energy recovery processes” at facilities 15 MW in capacity or less.
Efficiency measures may also be used to satisfy a portion of the requirement.6
Facility Siting and Permitting: Nevada prohibits the adoption of any covenant, deed, contract,
ordinance or other legal instrument that unreasonably restricts a landowner from installing solar
or wind energy systems on their land.7 Renewable energy generation facilities up to 70 MW in
capacity do not require a permit from the Public Utilities Commission of Nevada prior to
construction.8
Building Codes, Appliance, and Equipment Standards: Nevada’s mandatory state residential
and commercial building codes are based on the 2006 IECC and ASHRAE 90.1-2004.9 Nevada
is now in the process of adopting the 2009 IECC. Nevada has established efficacy standards for
general purpose lights.10
Electricity Transmission, Interconnection and Storage: The Public Utilities Commission of
Nevada has adopted interconnection standards for customers of NVEnergy with renewable
energy systems up to 20 MW in capacity.11 Nevada law also provides for net-metering for
renewable energy systems up to 1 MW in capacity. For all net-metered systems, if the cost of
purchasing and installing a net-metered system is paid for in whole or in part by a utility, then
the electricity generated by the system will be considered to be generated by the utility or
acquired from a renewable energy system for the purpose of complying with the state's RPS.12
Fuel Standards and Transportation: AFVs are exempt from the state’s emissions testing
requirements. HEVs are exempt from emissions inspection testing for the first five model
years.13 HEVs operating as taxicabs may remain in operation for an additional 24 months
beyond the limits for conventional vehicles.14
Government Procurement: The Nevada Energy Office has prepared a state energy reduction
plan, which requires state agencies and other Executive Branch entities to reduce energy
purchases for state-owned buildings by 20 percent by 2015.15 The Chief of the Purchasing
Division of the Department of Administration is required to establish standards that favor Energy
Star purchases, and the State Public Works Board must adopt and implement guidelines for
renewable energy and efficient energy use in all state buildings.16
Policies, Plans, and Governmental Affiliations
Policies and Plans: In 2008, the Nevada Climate Change Advisory Committee produced its final
report, which included 28 recommendations for reducing GHG emissions in Nevada.17
Government Entities: Public Utilities Commission of Nevada,18 Nevada Climate Change
Advisory Committee, Nevada Department of Administration,19 Nevada Department of
Conservation and Natural Resources,20 Nevada Department of Taxation,21 Nevada Renewable
Energy and Energy Efficiency Authority,22 Nevada State Office of Energy.23
Regional Memberships: Nevada is a member of the WGA and an observer of WCI.
1
NRS § 701A.110; NAC § 701A.010, et seq.; http://energy.state.nv.us/energy-efficiency/green-buildingabatement.html.
2
NRS § 701A.360 et seq.; http://renewableenergy.state.nv.us/TaxAbatement.htm.
3
NRS § 701A.200.
4
NRS § 701B.010 et seq.; LCB File No. R175-07.
5
http://www.nevadaappliancerebate.com/.
6
NRS § 704.7801 et seq.; NAC § 704.8831 et seq.; LCB File No. R167-05.
7
NRS § 111.370 et seq.; NRS § 111.239 et seq.; NRS § 278.0208 , NRS § 116.2111.
8
NRS § 704.860; NRS § 704.865.
9
NRS § 701.010 et seq.; NAC § 701.010 et seq.
10
NRS § 701.260.
11
NVEnergy Rule No. 15.
12
NRS 704.766 et seq.; NAC 704.8901 et seq.;
http://pucweb1.state.nv.us/PUCN/RenewableEnergy.aspx?AspxAutoDetectCookieSupport=1.
13
http://www.dmvnv.com/emission.htm.
14
NRS § 706.8834.
15
NRS § 701.215 et seq.
16
Senate Bill No. 395 (2009).
17
http://gov.state.nv.us/climate/FinalReport/ClimateChangeReport.pdf.
18
http://pucweb1.state.nv.us/pucn/.
19
http://dadmin.state.nv.us/.
20
http://dcnr.nv.gov/.
21
http://tax.state.nv.us/.
22
23
http://renewableenergy.state.nv.us/.
http://energy.state.nv.us/.