Energy

LB 450 amends Nebraska's Property Assessed Clean Energy Act to expand how municipalities can finance energy efficiency and renewable energy improvements on properties. It allows cities, counties, or villages to create "clean energy assessment districts" where property owners (including agricultural, commercial, industrial, and single-family residential properties) can pay for upgrades like solar panels, insulation, or backup generators through annual property assessments over the project's lifespan. The bill updates definitions for terms like "energy efficiency improvement" and "grid resiliency improvement" to clarify eligible projects, such as energy-saving windows, smart grid tech, or renewable systems. Note: This bill was amended into LB 288 on June 6, 2025, and is no longer active in its original form.

LB 531 exempts certain affordable housing projects from requiring compliance with the 2018 International Energy Conservation Code. Specifically, it prohibits the Department of Economic Development from mandating that new construction or rental conversion projects receiving funding from the Affordable Housing Trust Fund meet the energy efficiency standards in the code. The bill amends existing law to clarify this exception while maintaining the code's requirement for all other state-funded buildings. It does not change energy standards for non-affordable housing projects or other state construction.

LB 288 creates a new financing mechanism allowing Nebraska municipalities to establish "clean energy assessment districts" that let property owners fund energy efficiency, grid resilience, and renewable energy projects through annual property assessments. It directly affects residential, commercial, agricultural, and industrial property owners who choose to participate in these districts, covering costs for projects like solar panels, insulation, smart grid technology, and backup power systems. The bill requires municipalities to define eligible projects and sets repayment terms tied to the project's useful life, with property owners paying back through their property tax bills over time. This replaces previous financing rules under Nebraska's Property Assessed Clean Energy Act and related housing laws.

LB 50 changes how revenue from Nebraska's nameplate capacity tax on renewable energy facilities is distributed. Five percent of the tax revenue will go directly to the community college in the area where the renewable energy facility (like wind or solar farms) is located. The remaining revenue will be distributed to local governments (cities, counties) that would have collected property taxes on the facility if it weren't exempt, calculated based on each government's share of typical property tax revenue. This distribution continues until the facility's equipment is sold or removed, and the tax revenue cannot be redirected to the state General Fund.