Solar Reps Continue to Hound Nevada Lawmakers

Nevada is a hotspot for solar lobbying these days. I recently wrote of Solar Alliance, a solar lobbying group that went before Nevada legislators urging action to further promote solar power and ensure that stimulus dollars heading for Nevada find their way to solar installations. Just a few weeks later solar representatives are back in front of Nevada lawmakers, this time urging on existing legislation that proponents say would help the state compete with more advanced solar states in the region, such as Arizona and California.

Photo Credit: Julie Willbrand

The issues at hand are Nevada’s tax abatements, which would expire in June of this year. The proposed bill, SB331, would cut property taxes on solar energy generating facilities by 75% for 25 years – not a bad incentive. It would also lessen local school support taxes levied on property used for solar power plants by 75% for 10 years.

Another bill, perhaps less vital to Nevada’s solar industry as a whole but important nonetheless to many homeowners in the state, would further prohibit community and neighborhood organizations from inhibiting a homeowner from adopting solar or wind energy systems. It also gives the director of the state Office of Energy the final word in such matters.

Posted on April 21st in Solar Politics by Dan.