The Rhode Island Office of Energy Resources is proposing new rules and regulations governing the tangible tax value of commercial renewable-energy systems. The rules are intended to provide consistent and foreseeable tax treatment of renewables systems to facilitate and promote the installation of grid-connected systems. The OER will adopt a statewide tangible tax value and formula, which must be used by all municipalities utilizing ordinances and resolutions for commercial renewables systems proposed within their respective municipalities beginning January 1, 2017.

All existing municipal renewables ordinances and/or resolutions must be amended to reflect the requirements of the regulation and the associated tax value and associated formula. Municipalities that plan to adopt first-time ordinances and/or resolutions for renewables must reflect the requirements of the regulation and the associated tax value and associated formula in their respective ordinances and/or resolutions.

The OER’s actions arise from legislation (S. 2450) enacted in June.