LB 1003 adopts the Renewable Energy Consumer Protection Act to protect Nebraska consumers purchasing or leasing residential and small business solar or wind energy systems. It requires renewable energy sales companies to provide a clear, five-page written disclosure form at least 30 days before signing an agreement, including company contact details, payment schedules, system design specifics (like size and estimated energy production), and maintenance provider information. This bill directly affects consumers making major investments in renewable energy systems and the sales companies marketing these systems. The law aims to ensure consumers receive standardized, transparent information about contracts, rebates, warranties, and system performance before committing.
LB 1027 eliminates specific exemptions that previously allowed privately developed renewable energy facilities to avoid certain construction approvals under Nebraska law. The bill removes exemptions for facilities replacing older plants (under 25,000 kW), those within municipal service areas, and military-proximity rules. As a result, private renewable energy developers will now need standard board approval for new facilities, aligning their requirements with other electric generation projects. This change applies directly to companies building solar, wind, or other privately owned renewable energy facilities in Nebraska.
Nebraska's LB 1186 adopts the "Affordable American Energy and Jobs Act" to streamline development of wind, solar, biomass, geothermal, hydropower, and battery storage projects. It requires private energy developers to sign long-term power purchase agreements with public entities (like municipal utilities or power districts) for all energy generated, while prohibiting eminent domain over these projects. The bill mandates the Department of Water, Energy, and Environment to create non-binding "best practices" guidelines for siting projects, covering wildlife protection, agricultural land preservation, community benefits, and job creation for Nebraskans. Counties that adopt these guidelines become eligible for additional revenue from the nameplate capacity tax. The law focuses on balancing project development with community and environmental considerations through standardized planning criteria.
This bill prohibits private owners from shutting down, retiring, closing, or altering operations of certain privately developed renewable energy facilities, specifically those using solar, wind, geothermal, biomass, landfill gas, or biogas. It directly affects private electric suppliers who operate these facilities, such as standalone solar or wind power plants not owned by public entities like municipalities or cooperatives. The law requires these facilities to maintain operations without authorization changes, amending existing energy regulations to enforce this prohibition. It does not apply to facilities owned by public power districts or government entities.
LB 43 modifies notice and certification requirements for privately developed renewable energy facilities (like solar or wind projects) and transmission lines located near military installations in Nebraska. It directly affects private renewable energy developers who must now comply with updated notification and certification processes when building projects near designated military sites, including Air Force bases and missile silos. The bill harmonizes existing rules by revising sections of Nebraska law to streamline these requirements, removing redundancies while maintaining security considerations for military operations. The changes became effective upon the governor’s approval on February 25, 2025.
Nebraska bill LB 121 prohibits landfills from accepting solar panels, wind turbine blades, and their component parts. This amendment to the state's solid waste management law adds these renewable energy components to the list of materials already banned from landfill disposal, alongside items like tires, lead-acid batteries, and appliances. The bill directly affects waste management facilities, solar energy companies, and wind farm operators by requiring alternative disposal methods for these items. It does not specify new disposal requirements but mandates that these materials cannot be landfilled, aligning with broader waste management regulations. The bill is currently pending in the Natural Resources Committee.
Nebraska's LB 503 creates a program allowing counties to become "American energy friendly counties" to earn additional tax revenue from privately owned renewable energy facilities (like solar and wind installations). To qualify, counties must relax zoning rules - permitting renewable projects by right without discretionary approvals, setting noise limits at 50 decibels, and limiting setbacks (e.g., 300 feet for solar). The Department of Revenue will track designated counties and the annual tax revenue generated from these facilities. This policy directly affects county governments (through new revenue options) and renewable energy developers (by standardizing local permitting requirements).
LB 137 prohibits homeowners associations (HOAs) from banning or restricting the installation of solar energy systems, solar collectors, or pollinator gardens in residential properties. It voids any existing HOA rules that conflict with this prohibition and bans HOAs from charging fees for these installations. Homeowners can legally sue an HOA or similar group for violating this law. The bill specifically defines "pollinator gardens" as spaces supporting bees and butterflies with food/water and references existing solar energy definitions. This directly affects HOAs and homeowners in Nebraska who face restrictions on solar or pollinator garden projects.
This bill requires Nebraska electric utilities to provide service to customers who own small on-farm renewable energy systems (≤100 kilowatts) used for agricultural purposes, such as solar or wind installations. It specifically applies to systems that don’t connect to the grid for net metering and must be located on the same property as the farm’s electric account. Utilities must serve these customers but can still require compliance with safety standards, interconnection rules, and standard rates. The bill ensures grid access for qualifying farm systems without altering utility rate structures or creating new financial incentives.
LB 35 amends a regulation governing exemptions for privately developed renewable energy projects in Nebraska. It changes the reference from "7.4" to "791.4" as it existed on January 1, 2025, for facilities like rooftop solar or small wind installations seeking certain regulatory exemptions. This bill directly affects private developers of small-scale renewable energy generation who rely on these exemptions to avoid specific permitting or grid connection requirements. The change is procedural, updating which specific rule applies but not altering the exemption criteria or eligibility itself. The bill remains in the Natural Resources Committee with no further action taken as of the provided date.
