Exemption shall be granted to property owners subject to the following provisions:
(a) The title of the property for which exemption is claimed is held, or partially held, on the first day of the taxable year (January 1), by the person claiming exemption, whether or not that person initially installed the equipment, facility or device.
(b) The Department of Building and Development has determined, after examination of such equipment, facility or device, that the unit primarily performs at least one of the functions set forth in Section 868.01(a) and conforms to the requirements set by regulations of the State Board of Housing and Community Development.
(c) The Department of Building and Development has certified to the Commissioner of the Revenue that the applicant has met all requirements qualifying such equipment, facilities or devices for exemption from taxation.
(d) For solar photovoltaic (electric energy) systems, this exemption applies only to (i) projects equaling 20 megawatts or less, as measured in alternating current (AC) generation capacity, for which an initial interconnection request form has been filed with an electric utility or a regional transmission organization on or before December 31, 2018; (ii) projects equaling 20 megawatts or less, as measured in alternating current (AC) generation capacity, that serve any of the public institutions of higher education listed in Va. Code § 23.1-100 or any private college as defined in Va. Code § 23.1-105; (iii) 80 percent of the assessed value of projects for which an initial interconnection request form has been filed with an electric utility or a regional transmission organization (a) between January 1, 2015, and June 30, 2018, for projects greater than 20 megawatts or (b) on or after July 1, 2018, for projects greater than 20 megawatts and less than 150 megawatts, as measured in alternating current (AC) generation capacity, and that are first in service on or after January 1, 2017; (iv) projects equaling five megawatts or less, as measured in alternating current (AC) generation capacity, for which an initial interconnection request form has been filed with an electric utility or a regional transmission organization between January 1, 2019 and December 31, 2022;(v) 80 percent of the assessed value of all other projects equaling more than five megawatts and less than 150 megawatts, as measured in alternating current (AC) generation capacity for which an initial interconnection request form has been filed with an electric utility or a regional transmission organization on or after January 1, 2019; and (vi) projects equaling five megawatts or less, as measured in alternating current (AC) generation capacity, for which an initial interconnection request form has been filed with an electric utility or a regional transmission organization on or after January 1, 2023.
(Ord. Unno. Passed 3-19-79; Ord. 91-23. Passed 9-17-91; Ord. 14-11. Passed 12-10-14; Ord. 20-12. Passed 12-9-20; Ord. 22-19. Passed 12-14-22.)