Idaho Provides Financing, Tax Rebates for Renewable Projects

April 27, 2005

Idaho Governor Dirk Kempthorne signed two laws in April that will promote renewable energy development in the state. Senate Bill 1192, signed into law on April 6th, allows independent developers of renewable energy projects in the state to request financing from the Idaho Energy Resources Authority, a new state bonding authority that was created by a separate bill, House Bill 106. That bill, signed by the governor in March, aimed primarily at creating a bonding authority that would work with utilities to develop new electric generation and transmission projects. See Senate Bill 1192 and House Bill 106.

On April 12th, Governor Kempthorne signed House Bill 110, which provides a rebate of sales or use taxes to purchasers of machinery and equipment used to generate power from clean energy sources. The rebate applies to facilities at least 25 kilowatts in capacity and using as their principal source of power either fuel cells, low-impact hydropower, cogeneration, or wind, geothermal, solar, or biomass energy sources. See House Bill 110.