| 1 | A bill to be entitled |
| 2 | An act relating to renewable energy source devices; |
| 3 | amending s. 196.012, F.S.; revising the definition of |
| 4 | "renewable energy source device"; amending s. 196.175, |
| 5 | F.S.; increasing the exemption amount for real property |
| 6 | with an installed and operating renewable energy source |
| 7 | device; revising the exemption eligibility criteria for |
| 8 | renewable energy source devices; amending s. 196.192, |
| 9 | F.S.; providing an exemption from ad valorem taxation for |
| 10 | real property with an installed and operating renewable |
| 11 | energy source device; providing an effective date. |
| 12 |
|
| 13 | Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: |
| 14 |
|
| 15 | Section 1. Subsection (14) of section 196.012, Florida |
| 16 | Statutes, is amended to read: |
| 17 | 196.012 Definitions.--For the purpose of this chapter, the |
| 18 | following terms are defined as follows, except where the context |
| 19 | clearly indicates otherwise: |
| 20 | (14) "Renewable energy source device" or "device" means |
| 21 | any of the following equipment which, when installed in |
| 22 | connection with a dwelling unit or other structure, collects, |
| 23 | transmits, stores, or uses solar energy, wind energy, biomass, |
| 24 | or energy derived from geothermal deposits: |
| 25 | (a) Solar energy collectors. |
| 26 | (b) Storage tanks and other storage systems, excluding |
| 27 | swimming pools used as storage tanks. |
| 28 | (c) Rockbeds. |
| 29 | (d) Thermostats and other control devices. |
| 30 | (e) Heat exchange devices. |
| 31 | (f) Pumps and fans. |
| 32 | (g) Roof ponds. |
| 33 | (h) Freestanding thermal containers. |
| 34 | (i) Pipes, ducts, refrigerant handling systems, and other |
| 35 | equipment used to interconnect such systems; however, |
| 36 | conventional backup systems of any type are not included in this |
| 37 | definition. |
| 38 | (j) Windmills. |
| 39 | (k) Wind-driven generators. |
| 40 | (l) Power conditioning and storage devices that use wind |
| 41 | energy to generate electricity or mechanical forms of energy. |
| 42 | (m) Pipes and other equipment used to transmit hot |
| 43 | geothermal water to a dwelling or structure from a geothermal |
| 44 | deposit. |
| 45 |
|
| 46 | "Renewable energy source device" or "device" also means any heat |
| 47 | pump with an energy efficiency ratio (EER) or a seasonal energy |
| 48 | efficiency ratio (SEER) exceeding 8.5 and a coefficient of |
| 49 | performance (COP), exceeding 2.8; waste heat recovery system; or |
| 50 | water heating system the primary heat source of which is a |
| 51 | dedicated heat pump or the otherwise unused capacity of a heat |
| 52 | pump heating, ventilating, and air-conditioning system, provided |
| 53 | such device is installed in a structure substantially complete |
| 54 | before January 1, 1985, and whether or not solar energy, wind |
| 55 | energy, biomass, or energy derived from geothermal deposits is |
| 56 | collected, transmitted, stored, or used by such device. |
| 57 | Section 2. Subsections (1) and (4) of section 196.175, |
| 58 | Florida Statutes, are amended to read: |
| 59 | 196.175 Renewable energy source exemption.-- |
| 60 | (1) Improved real property upon which a renewable energy |
| 61 | source device is installed and operated shall be entitled to an |
| 62 | exemption not greater than the lesser of: |
| 63 | (a) The assessed value of such real property less any |
| 64 | other exemptions applicable under this chapter; |
| 65 | (b) The original cost of the device, including the |
| 66 | installation cost thereof, but excluding the cost of replacing |
| 67 | previously existing property removed or improved in the course |
| 68 | of such installation; or |
| 69 | (c) Ten Eight percent of the assessed value of such |
| 70 | property immediately following installation. |
| 71 | (4) No exemption authorized pursuant to this section shall |
| 72 | be granted for a period of more than 10 years. No exemption |
| 73 | shall be granted with respect to renewable energy source devices |
| 74 | installed before January 1, 1980, or after December 31, 1990. |
| 75 | Section 3. Subsection (4) is added to section 196.192, |
| 76 | Florida Statutes, to read: |
| 77 | 196.192 Exemptions from ad valorem taxation.--Subject to |
| 78 | the provisions of this chapter: |
| 79 | (4) Real property upon which a renewable energy source |
| 80 | device as defined in s. 196.012 is installed and operated shall |
| 81 | be exempt from ad valorem taxation in an amount not to exceed |
| 82 | the original cost of the device, including the installation cost |
| 83 | thereof. |
| 84 |
|
| 85 | For purposes of this section, each use to which the property is |
| 86 | being put must be considered in granting an exemption from ad |
| 87 | valorem taxation, including any economic use in addition to any |
| 88 | physical use. This section shall not apply in determining the |
| 89 | exemption for property owned by governmental units pursuant to |
| 90 | s. 196.199. |
| 91 | Section 4. This act shall take effect July 1, 2007. |