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2026 Session

Budget Amendments - SB30 (Member Request)

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Chief Patron: Deeds
Solar Energy and Battery Storage Tax Credits (language only)

Item 4-14 #3s

Item 4-14 #3s

Effective Date
Effective Date

Language

Page 668, after line 25, insert:

"6. That the Code of Virginia is amended by adding in Chapter 19 of Title 45.2 an article numbered 4, consisting of sections numbered 45.2-1918 through 45.2-1922, and by adding in Article 13 of Chapter 3 of Title 58.1 a section numbered 58.1-439.12:13 as follows:

Article 4.

Virginia Solar Energy and Battery Energy Storage Systems Program.


§ 45.2-1918. Definitions.

As used in this article, unless the context requires a different meaning:

"Qualified commercial and industrial project" means a short duration battery energy storage project added to an existing solar facility or a new standalone short duration battery energy storage project (i) approved by the Department pursuant to § 45.2-1921; (ii) that began construction on or after July 1, 2026; and (iii) used for commercial or industrial use as determined by the customer rate class used to determine billing related to such project.

"Qualified project" means a qualified commercial and industrial project, qualified residential project, or a qualified utility-scale project.

"Qualified residential project" means a new solar energy and short duration battery energy storage project or a new standalone short duration battery energy storage project (i) approved by the Department pursuant to § 45.2-1920; (ii) in service on or after July 1, 2026; and (iii) used for residential purposes as determined by the customer rate class used to determine billing related to such project.

"Qualified utility-scale project" means a short duration battery energy storage project added to an existing solar facility or a new standalone short duration battery energy storage project (i) approved by the Department pursuant to § 45.2-1921; (ii) that began construction on or after July 1, 2026; and (iii) used for utility-scale use as determined by the customer rate class used to determine billing related to such project.

"Short duration battery energy storage project" means the installation of battery energy storage equipment and technology that is capable of absorbing energy, storing such energy for less than 10 hours, and redelivering such energy after it has been stored.

"Solar energy project" means the installation of a system of components designed to convert solar radiation into useable thermal or electrical energy.

§ 45.2-1919. Virginia Solar Energy and Battery Energy Storage Systems Program.

The Virginia Solar Energy and Battery Energy Storage Systems Program is hereby established and shall be administered by the Department for the purposes of (i) coordinating and supporting the development of solar energy and short duration battery energy storage industries and projects by other public or private entities; (ii) evaluating and approving solar energy and short duration battery energy storage projects as qualified projects for the purposes of the tax credit in § 58.1-439.12:13; and (iii) determining which items and services are considered eligible project costs for a given qualified project. The Department may consult with research institutions, businesses, nonprofit organizations, and stakeholders as the Department deems appropriate.

§ 45.2-1920. Qualified residential project requirements.

A. The Department shall evaluate and approve solar energy and short duration battery energy storage projects as qualified residential projects for the purposes of the tax credit in § 58.1-439.12:13. The Department shall evaluate the applicant's willingness to opt-into demand response or virtual power plant programs. To receive approval as a qualified residential project, the following conditions shall be met:

1. The project shall be fully operational and installed in the Commonwealth by the time specified in subdivision 2;

2. The project is in service on or after July 1, 2026, but prior to the expiration of the tax credit in § 58.1-439.12:13, and construction is certified to be completed within five years of the date on which construction began; and

3. The energy storage portion of the project provides a minimum storage duration of up to two hours.

B. No solar energy and short duration battery energy storage project shall receive a tax credit pursuant to § 58.1-439.12:13 without approval by the Department pursuant to this section.

§ 45.2-1921. Qualified commercial, industrial, and utility-scale project requirements.

A. The Department shall evaluate and approve short duration battery energy storage projects as qualified commercial and industrial projects for the purposes of the tax credit in § 58.1-439.12:13.  The Department shall evaluate the applicant's willingness to opt-into demand response or virtual power plant programs. To receive approval as a qualified commercial and industrial project, the following conditions shall be met:

1. The project shall be fully operational and have begun construction in the Commonwealth by the time specified in subdivision 2;

2. The project has begun construction on or after July 1, 2026, but prior to the expiration of the tax credit in § 58.1-439.12:13, and construction is certified to be completed within five years of the date on which construction began; and

3. The energy storage portion of the project provides a minimum storage duration of up to four hours.

The Department shall also evaluate and approve such qualified commercial and industrial projects pursuant to this subsection based upon the applicant's willingness to opt-in for the State Corporation Commission's virtual power plant pilot program established in § 56-585.1:16.

B. The Department shall evaluate and approve short duration battery energy storage projects as qualified utility-scale projects for the purposes of the tax credit in § 58.1-439.12:13. To receive approval as a qualified utility-scale project, the conditions listed in subdivisions A 1 through 4 shall be met. The Department shall evaluate the applicant's ability to reduce electric utility costs for ratepayers, or the applicant's willingness to opt-into demand response or virtual power plant programs.

C. No solar energy and short duration battery energy storage project shall receive a tax credit pursuant to § 58.1-439.12:13 without approval by the Department pursuant to this section.

§ 45.2-1922. Regional uptake dashboard for approved solar energy and short duration battery energy storage projects; reports.

A. The Department shall monitor allocation of the tax credit in § 58.1-439.12:13 and publish quarterly transparency reports summarizing such allocation.

B. The Department shall maintain a public dashboard displaying regional uptake, demographic distribution such as low to moderate income and non-low to moderate income data, and sectoral progress toward allocated targets.

§ 58.1-439.12:13. Tax credit for investments in solar energy equipment and short duration battery energy storage.

A. For purposes of this section:

"Eligible project costs" means (i) for residential projects, costs incurred for the construction, installation, or purchase of qualifying solar energy equipment or qualifying energy storage resources, including labor costs incurred for installation and electrical integration, and costs incurred for permitting, inspection, engineering, and system design services necessary for such project; (ii) for commercial and industrial projects, costs incurred for such project that would otherwise be eligible for residential projects, feasibility studies and resources assessments, environmental review and mitigation measures, interconnection studies and utility interconnection application fees, project-specific legal and financial services, site preparation, purchase or lease of land solely dedicated to project operation, onsite electrical upgrades, switchgear, and transformer installation necessary for grid compliance; and (iii) for utility-scale projects, costs incurred for such project that would otherwise be eligible for commercial and industrial projects, and high-voltage interconnection and substation construction, transmission-level engineering, permitting, and intertie infrastructure, long-term site development, roadwork, and land lease or purchase strictly for operational footprint. "Eligible project costs" includes only costs directly associated with energy generation, storage, and grid integration. "Eligible projects costs" does not include land acquisition unrelated to system operation, or where the project is not completed, general property improvements, renovations, or unrelated construction; transmission upgrades not directly attributable to project interconnection; costs associated with speculative land banking or site prospecting without approved interconnection plans; legal fees, lobbying, or administrative costs unrelated to project execution; backup generators, fossil fuel systems, or hybrid diesel-photovoltaic integrations; energy efficiency upgrades such as insulation or lighting; heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) unless integrated with a solar and storage project and separately itemized; or any leased residential systems.

"Qualified commercial and industrial project", "qualified project", and "qualified residential project" mean the same as those terms are defined in § 45.2-1918.

B. For taxable years beginning on and after January 1, 2027, but before January 1, 2032, a taxpayer shall be allowed a one-time, installment credit, in the manner provided in subsection C, against the tax levied pursuant to § 58.1-320 or 58.1-400 in an amount equal to:

1. For a residential qualified project, 35 percent of eligible project costs, not to exceed $6,000.

2. For a commercial and industrial qualified project, 35 percent of eligible project costs.

3. For a utility-scale qualified project, 35 percent of eligible project costs, not to exceed $5 million per project.

The taxpayer shall submit purchase receipts with the income tax return satisfactory to the Tax Commissioner.

C. One hundred percent of the tax credit shall be earned in the year the project is placed in service and shall be claimed over a five-year period in installments of 20 percent per year. However, no credit may be claimed for a taxable year during or after which the taxpayer disposes of, takes out of service, or moves outside of the Commonwealth any qualifying solar energy equipment. In such instance, any remaining, unpaid installments of the credit allowed to such taxpayer for such given project shall expire and become non-claimable for such project.

D. The aggregate amount of credits allowed under this section shall not exceed $50 million per applicable budget cycle. Of this amount, $12.5 million shall be reserved for residential qualifying projects, and the remaining $37.5 million for commercial and industrial and utility-scale qualifying projects, or an amount appropriated by the General Assembly during the applicable budget cycle, with 25 percent allocated for qualified residential projects and 75 percent allocated for qualified commercial and industrial projects and qualified utility-scale projects. Credits shall be allocated subject to the availability of funds within each category and tranche, upon submission of a complete application as determined by the Department of Energy and the Department. If, after nine months from the start of the taxable year, the Department of Energy determines that the amounts reserved for a given qualified project are unlikely to be fully allocated, the Department of Energy may reallocate any unreserved or uncommitted amounts, provided that such reallocation does not exceed the aggregate annual credit cap.

E. The amount of any credit attributable under this section to a partnership, limited liability company, or electing small business corporation (S corporation) shall be allocated to the individual partners, members, or shareholders, in proportion to their ownership or interest in such entity.

F. To qualify for the tax credit under this section, a project shall be installed in compliance with Article 4 (§ 45.2-1918 et seq.) of Chapter 19 of Title 45.2.

1. Once the taxpayer has satisfied all the requirements to the satisfaction of the Department of Energy, the Department of Energy shall provide the taxpayer with a certificate of approval for a qualified project, identifying whether the project qualifies as residential, commercial and industrial, or utility-scale. Such certificate shall include the amount of eligible costs incurred and the fiscal year in which such costs were incurred for which the taxpayer may claim a tax credit pursuant to this section. The Department of Energy shall send a copy of such certificate to the Tax Commissioner in a reasonable time and manner as determined by the Commissioner.

2. The taxpayer shall retain all proof of cost documentation, including invoices and scope of work, and any certificate of approval for a qualified project received pursuant to subdivision 1 for at least five years from the receipt of such certificate.

G. The Tax Commissioner shall develop guidelines, in consultation with the Department of Energy, for claiming the credit provided by this section, including establishing application procedures, reservation requirements, tranche schedules, and reallocation criteria consistent with this section. Such guidelines shall be exempt from the provisions of the Administrative Process Act (§ 2.2-4000 et seq.).

7. That the provisions of the sixth enactment of this act shall become effective on January 1, 2027."

Page 668, line 26, strike "6" and insert "8".

Page 668, line 28, strike "7" and insert "9".

Page 668, line 30, strike "8" and insert "10".

Page 668, line 31, strike "9" and insert "11".

Page 668, line 31, strike "and".

Page 668, line 31, after "fourth" insert "and sixth".



Explanation

(This amendment establishes the Virginia Solar Energy and Battery Energy Storage Systems Program, to be administered by the Department of Energy for the purpose of (i) coordinating and supporting the development of solar energy and short duration battery energy storage industries and projects by other public or private entities; (ii) evaluating and approving solar energy and short duration battery energy storage projects as qualified projects for the purposes of the tax credit established by the legislation; and (iii) determining which items and services are considered eligible project costs for a given qualified project. The revenue impact from the tax credit is $50.0 million over a biennium.)