Clean Energy Manufacturing Incentive Grant Program

July 18, 2021

Summary

This program is no longer available, Va. Code § 59.1-284.25 has been repealed.

In April 2011, Virginia created the Clean Energy Manufacturing Incentive Grant Program. The program is meant to replace the Solar Photovoltaic Manufacturing Incentive Grant Program and the Biofuels Production Incentive Grant Program, which will be phased out by 2013 and 2017, respectively. Money is appropriated to the fund at the discretion of the General Assembly.

"Clean energy manufacturer" is defined as a biofuel producer, a manufacturer of renewable energy or nuclear equipment/products, or "products used for energy conservation, storage, or grid efficiency purposes." Renewable energy is defined in the statutes (§ 56-576) to include solar, wind, hydro, biomass, waste energy, municipal solid waste, wave, tidal, and geothermal. It may also include thermal or electric energy from biomass co-firing facilities. Public service corporations are not eligible for the grants.

A clean energy manufacturer can receive a grant for up to six years if it:

Begins or expands its operations in Virginia on or after July 1, 2011
Makes a capital investment of more than $50 million in Virginia on or after July 1, 2011
Creates 200 or more new full-time jobs on or after July 1, 2011
Enters a memorandum of understanding setting forth the requirements for capital investment and the creation of new full-time jobs

The governor may reduce the capital investment and full-time job minimums if the manufacturer is located in an area with an unemployment rate of 1.25 times the statewide average unemployment rate of the previous year. For wind manufacturers, the capital investment minimum is $10 million and the job minimum is 30.

Full guidelines for the Clean Energy Manufacturing Incentive Grant Program can be found here.

The state will begin awarding grants on July 1, 2012.

Program Overview

Implementing Sector:	State
Category:	Financial Incentive
State:	Virginia
Incentive Type:	Industry Recruitment/Support
Web Site:
Administrator:	Virginia Economic Development Partnership Authority
Start Date:	July 1, 2011
Eligible Renewable/Other Technologies:	Solar Water Heat Solar Space Heat Geothermal Electric Solar Thermal Electric Solar Thermal Process Heat Solar Photovoltaics Wind (All) Biomass Hydroelectric Geothermal Heat Pumps Municipal Solid Waste Combined Heat & Power Fuel Cells using Non-Renewable Fuels Landfill Gas Tidal Wave Solar Pool Heating Yes; specific technologies not identified Wind (Small) Hydroelectric (Small) Geothermal Direct-Use Fuel Cells using Renewable Fuels
Maximum Incentive:	Aggregate amount of grants awarded and outstanding at any time cannot exceed $36 million
Terms:	6 years maximum

Authorities

Name:	Va. Code § 59.1-284.25 et seq.
Date Enacted:	04/06/2011

Contact

Organization:	Virginia Department of Taxation
Address:	Post Office Box 1115 Richmond VA 23218
Phone:	(804) 367-8031

Organization:	Virginia Department of Mines, Minerals, and E
Address:	Washington Building Richmond VA 23219-3638
Phone:	(804) 692-3218

This information is sourced from DSIRE; the most comprehensive source of information on incentives and policies that support renewables and energy efficiency in the United States. Established in 1995, DSIRE is operated by the N.C. Clean Energy Technology Center at N.C. State University.