Green Energy Property Tax Assessment

Tennessee offers a special ad valorem property tax assessment for certified green energy production facilities. Tennessee Code Annotated § 67-5-601 (e)-(f) defines the sound, intrinsic and immediate value of alternative green source properties when they are initially appraised. SB 1000 stipulated that the assessed property value of all certified green energy production facilities (as defined in Tenn. Code § 67-4-2007) may not exceed 1/3 of total installed costs for wind, 12.5% of installed costs for solar, and for other green sources of energy, property should not initially exceed its appropriate capacity factor as determined by the States Board of Equilization in consultation with the department of environment and conservation.

TDEC defines and certifies facilities based upon production of electricity using clean energy technology for use and consumption off the premises. Clean energy technology is defined as technology used to generate energy from geothermal, hydrogen, solar, and wind sources. The effective date of the property valuation provided is January 1st of the year for which the valuation is claimed. A copy of the facility certification must be provided by the property owner to the comptroller’s office by March 1st of the same year. The comptroller must advise the assessor of the locations of any certified green energy property and must advise the assessor as to whether the property should be assessed locally or centrally.