Hello there, fellow solar enthusiasts! Today, I’d like to dive into a highly relevant topic in the world of sustainable energy— the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, more specifically its influence on the solar industry and how it impacts solar companies. This Act introduces a few new incentives that facilitate clean energy projects in economically challenged areas, with a bonus federal tax credit provision for projects constructed on brownfield sites.
What exactly is a brownfield site, you ask? It’s a term often used within the realm of renewable power projects such as solar arrays for your home or community. To give a simple definition, a brownfield site is categorized as real property where the reuse, development, or expansion may be intricate due to the presence (or even potential presence) of pollutants, contaminants, or hazardous substances. Notably, this definition significantly impacts the benefits a solar company can reap from installing solar panels on these sites.
This brownfield credit surmounts to a substantial 10% add-on to the Section 48 investment tax credit (ITC) or the Section 45 production tax credit (PTC), thus allowing solar companies to provide more cost-effective solar panels for your home. Imagine this – a solar project that normally qualifies for the base 30% ITC would earn an additional 10% ITC, totaling an impressive 40% ITC tax credit.
Now, as beneficial as these incentives may sound, developers, and anyone else who wants to qualify for the brownfield credit, need to tread carefully. If not appropriately managed, there lies the risk of exposing oneself to potential cleanup liabilities or environmental remedial actions, which could undermine the economic value of the tax credit. To avoid this, the IRS has developed guidelines to navigate through these potentially risky waters.
What’s truly fascinating about this incentive is that it was created to encourage solar companies and other clean energy developers to construct projects at these economically disadvantaged and environmentally distressed properties. Essentially, this is a thoughtful step towards repurposing these areas while providing economic benefits for the community.
PFAS (polyfluoroalkyl substances), known as forever chemicals because of their environmental persistence, have recently been included in the EPA’s list of hazardous substances. This adds to the number of sites that could qualify for the brownfield credit. Although this may increase liability risk, careful planning and execution can still tap into the credit’s benefits without incurring clean-up obligations.
The IRS has set out three “safe harbor” categories that will be accepted as brownfield sites if they don’t fall under the exclusions in CERCLA Section 39(B):
1. If the site has previously been assessed and categorized as a brownfield site.
2. If a Phase II Environmental Site Assessment has confirmed the presence of a hazardous substance on the site.
3. If the project has a nameplate capacity no more than 5MW, and a Phase I Environmental Site Assessment identifies the presence of a hazardous substance.
Navigating through this process requires careful planning and execution. However, the benefits of building your solar array at home on such sites are indisputable. As we encounter increased global challenges in environmental health and sustainability, these incentives represent progressive strides toward our collective goal of more sustainable energy solutions.
In essence, green initiatives like these are redefining how we harness and leverage solar power, giving rise to newer, more inventive means to provide solar panels for your home. The more we understand and take advantage of such incentives, the closer we come to a cleaner and brighter, solar-powered future!
Stay tuned for more posts on all things solar – until then, keep soaking up the sun!
Original Articlehttps://pv-magazine-usa.com/2024/06/07/walking-the-hazardous-line-of-qualifying-for-the-brownfield-energy-tax-credit/
