New Hampshire HB 450: relative to commercial property assessed clean energy and resiliency (C-PACER)

Bill Text

HB 450 - AS INTRODUCED

2025 SESSION

 25-0866

 08/06

HOUSE BILL 450

AN ACT relative to commercial property assessed clean energy and resiliency (C-PACER)

SPONSORS: Rep. Packard, Rock. 16; Rep. Hunt, Ches. 14; Rep. Weyler, Rock. 14; Rep. Vose, Rock. 5; Rep. Simpson, Rock. 33; Sen. Rochefort, Dist 1

COMMITTEE: Science, Technology and Energy

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ANALYSIS

 This bill replaces the energy efficiency and clean energy districts statute with a commercial property assessed clean energy and resiliency program.

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Explanation: Matter added to current law appears in bold italics.

 Matter removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.]

 Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

 25-0866

 08/06

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty Five

AN ACT relative to commercial property assessed clean energy and resiliency (C-PACER)

Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:

 1 Energy Efficiency and Clean Energy Districts; Definitions RSA 53-F:1 is repealed and reenacted to read as follows:

 53-F:1 Definitions. In this chapter:

 I. “Authority” means the New Hampshire business finance authority the administrator for the program created by this chapter.

 II. "Capital provider" means a private entity or its designee, successor, or assigns that finances or refinances a qualifying improvement.

 III. “C-PACER” means commercial property assessed clean energy or resiliency.

 IV. "District" means an energy efficiency and clean energy district established under this chapter.

 V. "Eligible property" means real property located within the boundaries of the district, whether zoned or used for residential, commercial, industrial, or other uses, excluding residential property containing less than 5 dwelling units.

 VI. “Financing agreement” means the agreement between a property owner and a capital provider which governs the terms of financing between the parties, including the interest rate, term, conditions of prepayment, and penalties and interest for late or delinquent payment.

 VII. “Municipal program official” means a person designated by a municipality to liaison with the program administrator and administer the municipality duties and responsibilities in accordance with the administrative procedures set forth in the administrative agreement with the authority.

 VIII. "Municipality" means any city, town, or village district, or the designated representative of the city, town, or village district.

 IX. “Program” means the implementation and administration of C-PACER projects and financings according to this chapter.

 X. “Program administrator” means the authority or a third-party designated by the authority to administer the program on its behalf.

 XI. “Program guidebook” means a comprehensive document created by the authority pursuant to this chapter, including appropriate guidelines for the program, specifications, approval criteria, assessment documents, and other standard forms consistent with the administration of a program under this chapter.

 XII. “Project application” means an application submitted to the program administrator to demonstrate that a proposed project qualifies for special assessment financing pursuant to the program guidebook.

 XIII. “Qualifying improvement” means resiliency improvements, energy conservation and efficiency improvements, clean energy improvements, or water conservation improvements.

 (a) "Clean energy improvement" means the installation of any system on the property for producing electricity for, or meeting heating, cooling, or water heating needs of the property, using either renewable energy sources, combined heat and power systems, or district energy systems using wood biomass (but not construction and demolition waste), waste heat, or natural gas. Such improvements include, but are not limited to, solar photovoltaic, solar thermal, wood biomass, wind, and geothermal systems, provided that, to be covered by an agreement with a property owner and financed under this chapter, such improvements shall be qualifying improvements under RSA 53-F:6.; and

 (b) "Energy conservation and efficiency improvement" means measures to reduce consumption, through conservation or more efficient use, of electricity, fuel oil, natural gas, propane, or other forms of energy on or off the property, including but not limited to air sealing, installation of insulation, installation of heating, cooling, or ventilation systems meeting or exceeding ENERGY STAR standards, building modifications to increase the use of daylighting, replacement of window