On June 29, 2021, the US Internal Revenue Service (the “IRS”) released Notice 2021-41, extending and enhancing previous relief given by the IRS pursuant to Notice 2020-41 on the start-of-construction rules for the production tax credit and energy investment tax credit. The new notice extends the continuity safe harbor for projects that began construction in calendar years 2016 through 2020 and relaxes the continuity requirement for projects that do not satisfy the continuity safe harbor.
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Continuous Plan of Construction
SEIA Asks for Extension to Continuity Safe Harbor
In an April 12, 2021 letter to Treasury Secretary Yellen, the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) has asked for an extension of the so-called “continuity safe harbor” under the beginning of construction rules under IRS Notice 2018-59.
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IRS Grants Beginning of Construction Relief for Offshore Renewable Projects and Renewable Projects on Federal Land
On December 31, 2020, the US Treasury Department and the Internal Revenue Service (the “IRS”) issued Notice 2021-05 (the “Notice”), which provides relief for offshore renewable energy projects and renewable projects constructed on federal land. Specifically, the Notice allows the Continuity Safe Harbor to be satisfied for projects constructed offshore or on federal land if…
IRS Provides Start-of-Construction Relief for Renewables in Light of COVID-19
On May 27, 2020, the US Internal Revenue Service (the “IRS”) released Notice 2020-41 (the “Notice”), updating the IRS guidance on the start-of-construction rules for the production tax credit (“PTC”) and energy investment tax credit (“ITC”) by extending the continuity safe harbor for projects that began construction in either calendar year 2016 or 2017.1 Additionally, the Notice provides relief under the so-called 3 ½ month rule where payments were made on or after September 16, 2019, but the services or property were not expected to be provided until 2020, as long as they are actually received by October 15, 2020.
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Treasury to Extend Continuity Safe Harbor
The U.S. Department of Treasury plans to modify the rules regarding the continuity safe harbor for the start-of-construction rules under Treasury guidance for the production tax credit (PTC) and energy investment tax credit (ITC). This plan was announced today, May 7, 2020, in a letter from Frederick W. Vaughan, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, Office of…
COVID-19: CARES Act Fails to Address Renewable Energy Industry’s Concerns But Path Forward with the IRS Remains
Please click here to read our latest client alert, which discusses some of the tax-related concerns that the renewable energy is facing due the COVID-19.
Presentation from Tax Equity Webinar: Structuring, New Trends, Challenges & Advice
Mayer Brown’s David K. Burton and Jeffrey G. Davis both Tax Transactions & Consulting partners and part of the firm’s Renewable Energy group co-hosted a heavily attended webinar on how tax reform is impacting the tax equity market and certain renewable energy structures with Vadim Ovchinnikov, CFA, CPA and Gintaras Sadauskas of Alfa Energy Advisors.…
Beginning of Construction Guidance for Solar and Other ITC Technologies
On June 22, 2018, the IRS released Notice 2018-59 (the “Guidance”). The Guidance provides rules to determine when construction begins with respect to investment tax credit (“ITC”) eligible property, such as solar projects. The Guidance was much awaited by the solar industry because the date upon which construction begins governs the determination of the percentage level of the ITC, which is ratcheted down for projects that begin construction after 2019.
In addition to applying to solar and (fiber-optic solar), the Guidance applies to the following energy generation technologies: geothermal, fuel cell, microturbine, combined heat and power and small wind.
Overview of Beginning of Construction
The ITC percentage for a solar project is determined based on the year in which construction of the project begins, provided the solar project is also placed in service before January 1, 2024, as follows: (i) before January 1, 2020, 30%, (ii) in 2020, 26%, (iii) in 2021, 22% and (iv) any time thereafter (regardless of the year in which the solar project is placed in service), 10%.
The Guidance is quite similar to existing guidance for utility scale wind projects. The utility scale wind guidance is discussed in our 2016 Update. As expected and consistent with the wind guidance, the Guidance provides two means for establishing the beginning of construction of a solar project (and other ITC technology projects): (i) engaging in significant physical work either directly or by contract the “Physical Work Method”) or (ii) paying or incurring (depending on the taxpayer’s method of accounting) five percent of the ultimate tax basis of the project (the “Five Percent Method”).[1] As is the case with wind, the Guidance provides that the IRS will apply strict scrutiny of the facts and circumstances to determine if the project was continuously constructed from the deemed beginning of construction date through the date the project is placed in service.[2]
Four Year Placed-in-Service Window
The wind guidance provides a four year window for the project to be completed and to avoid the scrutiny as to whether the construction was continuous. There had been speculation that the window for solar (or at least some classes of solar) would be shorter because the time to construct solar projects (especially rooftop solar) is generally shorter than the time to construct a wind project. In what is a relief to the solar industry, the Guidance provides solar, and the other ITC technologies, a four year window as well.
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House Passes Tax Reform & the Impact of Tax Reform on the Renewable Energy Market
Today, the House voted 227 to 303 in favor of the tax reform bill agreed to by the conference committee. No Democrats voted for the House bill, and 12 Republicans from high tax states voted against it. The Senate is expected to vote later this evening to approve it; it is possible that the president could sign the bill as early as tomorrow.
The enacted legislation is expected to be identical to the bill approved by the conference committee. Our analysis of the conference committee’s bill’s impact on the renewable energy market is below, which is followed by a chart that summarizes the relevant provisions in each of the three bills.
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North American WindPower Publishes Article – Proposed GOP Tax Reform Would Curtail Tax Incentives for Wind and Solar
Our article Proposed GOP Tax Reform Would Curtail Tax Incentives for Wind and Solar is available from North American WindPower (no subscription required). The article includes a discussion of the politics of the Senate passing tax reform and a discussion of market implications; however, the discussion of the specific changes to the Internal Revenue Code…