N.M. Admin. Code § 3.3.14.12

Current through Register Vol. 35, No. 18, September 24, 2024

Section 3.3.14.12 - MINIMUM SYSTEM SIZES, SYSTEM APPLICATIONS AND LISTS OF ELIGIBLE COMPONENTS

A. Solar energy systems or their portions that the department may certify shall meet the following requirements:

(1) be primarily constituted by new equipment, components, and materials; except that the department may certify a system with recycled or reused components if the use of a used component would not adversely impact generation efficiency or overall system longevity and so long as it is not otherwise ineligible for certification;

(a) a system that is on a recreational vehicle, is mobile, does not serve a permanent end use energy load or is not permanently located in New Mexico;

(b) a system that is not connected to a structure or foundation and does not serve a permanent end use energy load or is not permanently located in New Mexico;

(c) a system or portion of a system having one or more components not manufactured on a regular basis by a business enterprise; and

(d) a system or portion of a system that replaces a system or portion of a system the department has certified in a previous application for a state tax credit.

B. The department may disapprove a system type, solar thermal collector type, photovoltaic module type or a solar energy system component if not listed in 3.3.14 NMAC for certification.

C. Solar thermal systems that the department may certify include:

(1) the system applications of solar domestic hot water, solar space heating, solar air heating, solar process heating, solar space cooling or combinations of solar thermal system applications listed in 3.3.14 NMAC;

(2) the collector types of flat plate, parabolic trough, and evacuated tube; and

(3) the listed component categories of collectors, pumps, fans, solar storage tanks, expansion tanks, valves, controllers, and heat exchangers.

D. A solar thermal system component that the department may certify is a photovoltaic system providing power for a solar thermal system component's incidental electricity needs. The department shall not certify such a photovoltaic system as a separate solar energy system eligible for a separate state tax credit.

E. Solar thermal systems or their components that the department shall not certify are as follows:

(1) a heating system or heating system components necessary for a swimming pool or a hot tub;

(2) equipment sheds, wall preparation, cabinetry, site-built enclosures, distribution piping and associated installation costs;

(3) a building design element used for passive solar space heating, space cooling, daylighting, or other environmental comfort attribute;

(4) a water quality distillation or processing system;

(5) in a combined system, the portions of the system not allowed to receive a state tax credit or for which the department shall not certify the system;

(6) A system that does not comply with the latest version of the New Mexico Solar Code.

F. Solar thermal systems that the department may certify shall meet the following requirements:

(1) minimum system size of 15 square feet of solar collector aperture area;

(2) a collector that is listed as certified by the SRCC by OG-100 collector certification or OG-300 system certification processes; and

(3) all components approved by an agency accredited by the American national standards institute, if available for that specific component category.

G. Photovoltaic systems that the department may certify include:

(1) the system applications of direct power without battery storage, utility grid interconnected without battery storage, utility grid interconnected with without battery storage, stand-alone with battery storage, stand-alone with utility backup capability and water pumping;

(2) the flat plate module types of crystalline, poly-crystalline or thin-film amorphous silicon;

(3) the listed component categories of modules, inverters, batteries, manufactured battery enclosures, charge controllers, power point trackers, well pumps, racks, sun tracking mechanisms, performance monitoring equipment, communications, datalogging or lightning protection; and

(4) disconnect components, safety components, standard electrical materials, and standard electrical hardware necessary for the assembly of the listed component categories into a complete, safe, and fully operational system.

H. Photovoltaic systems that the department may certify shall meet the following requirements:

(1) a minimum total array power output of 100 watts direct current at manufacturer's standard test conditions;

(2) all components listed and labeled by a nationally recognized testing laboratory, if such listing is available for that specific component category; and

(3) an agricultural enterprise photovoltaic system on a farm or ranch that is not connected to an electric utility transmission or distribution system.

I. Photovoltaic systems or their portions that the department shall not certify are as follows:

(1) a commercial or industrial photovoltaic system that is not connected to an electric utility transmission or distribution system;

(2) power equipment sheds, wall preparation, cabinetry, site-built battery enclosures, distribution wiring and associated installation costs;

(3) the drilling, well casing, storage tanks, distribution piping, distribution controls and associated installation costs of a water pumping system; and

(4) a packaged product powered by photovoltaic cells that an applicant purchased directly from a retail business enterprise, is not custom designed, and does not require a permit from the building code authority for installation, including gate or door openers, watches, calculators, walkway lights, and toys.

N.M. Admin. Code § 3.3.14.12

Adopted by New Mexico Register, Volume XXXI, Issue 16, August 25, 2020, eff. 8/25/2020, Adopted by New Mexico Register, Volume XXXV, Issue 13, July 16, 2024, eff. 7/16/2024