Connecticut Administrative Code › Title 16a - Planning and Energy Policy › 14 - Eligibility of Nonresidential Solar Energy Electricity Generating Systems for the Purpose of Authorized Property Tax Exemption › Standards and Specifications for Exemption from State Sales and Use Tax for Renewable Energy Systems or Systems Utilizing Cogeneration Technology › Section 16a-14-101 - Definitions

Current through July 10, 2024
For the purposes of these regulations, the following terms
				  shall have the meanings assigned in this section, unless the context clearly
				  indicates to the contrary:
"Secretary" means the Secretary of the Office of Policy and
				  Management.
"Renewable Energy System" means a system of related
				  equipment, including structural components of a building specifically designed
				  to retain heat derived from solar energy, which system is designed for the
				  collection, transfer, storage, conversion and use of solar energy,
				  including:
(1) direct solar
				insolation
(2) wind
(3) water or,
(4) biomass energy
for the purpose of space heating or cooling, water heating or
				  generation of electricity or any other application which, in the absence of
				  such system would require the use of a conventional energy source, but shall
				  not include woodburning stoves.
"Small Power Production Facility" means a renewable energy
				  system which is designed to generate electricity and has been determined by the
				  secretary to meet the size and fuel use standards set out in
				  18 CFR
				  292.204(a) and (b).
"Cogeneration System" means a cogeneration facility, as
				  defined in
				  18
				  CFR 292.202(c), the primary
				  purpose of which is reducing the use of conventional energy sources, and which
				  has been determined by the secretary to meet the operating and efficiency
				  standards set out in
				  18 CFR
				  292.205(a) or (b).
"Parts or components of Cogeneration Systems" and "Parts or
				  components of Small Power Production Facilities" means only those parts or
				  components which are integral and essential to the operation of such systems
				  and includes those parts referred to in Section
				  16a-14-102.
"Active Solar System" means a system which converts the sun's
				  energy into thermal energy and may transport this energy, when applicable, to a
				  storage device through a heat transport medium such as air or a liquid. Heat is
				  withdrawn either from the transport medium or from the storage device and used
				  to provide space conditioning for the building or structure or service hot
				  water. An active solar system shall also include a system using solar energy as
				  defined in these regulations for the production of electricity or mechanical
				  energy.
"Building" means any residential, commercial, industrial or
				  other structure as defined in the state building code.
"Eligible" means that a system or piece of equipment
				  qualifies to be included in the determination of the amount of the exemption
				  pursuant to section
				  12-412(39)
				  of the Connecticut general statutes and complies with the standards specified
				  in these regulations.
"Commercial Solar Equipment" means equipment manufactured for
				  sale and which, when connected together, constitutes a solar energy
				  system.
"Site Built System" means a solar system, utilizing
				  collectors, constructed from basic materials where the collectors are assembled
				  on the premises of final use by a contractor.
"Self Built" means a solar energy collector or system using a
				  collector built from basic materials and installed by the owner or renter of
				  the building.
"Passive Solar Heating and/or Cooling System" means
(1) a system which utilizes the architectural
				features of a building to maximize solar heat gain during the heating season,
				minimize heat losses, and provide thermal storage within the building or
				structure, and during the cooling season minimize heat gain and provide for
				natural ventilation, and
(2) a
				system using a collector wherein natural thermal transfer occurs but which does
				not include the use of a fan or pump.
"Direct Gain" means solar radiation passes through the living
				  space before being stored in the thermal mass for long term heating.
"Indirect Gain" means a thermal mass collects and stores heat
				  directly from the sun and then transfers heat to the living space.
"Isolated Gain" means solar collection and storage are
				  thermally isolated from the living spaces of the building.
"Solar Energy" means energy which has recently originated in
				  the sun in the form of direct and diffuse solar radiation.
"Thermal Mass Wall," including but not limited to Trombe
				  walls, water walls and drum walls, means a wall either directly or indirectly
				  capable of exposure to solar radiation. Such wall may function as a combination
				  heat sink and wall, and shall include external glazing or some other method
				  which creates a heat trap for penetrating solar radiation.
"Thermal Contact Ceiling" means a combined roofing and
				  heating system composed of containers filled with water or other heat storage
				  medium placed above the roof beams of a building and utilized as a heat sink
				  for solar radiation during the daylight hours and as a thermal storage device
				  and insulator during the nocturnal hours. Some provision shall be made to
				  reduce heat loss at night and during cold weather when little sunlight is
				  available, as a means of retaining absorbed heat. During the cooling season,
				  this operation may be reversed to provide a cooling effect.
"Heat Transportation System" means that portion of a solar
				  heating and/or cooling system used to transfer heat from the collectors to a
				  point of use or storage through pipes in liquid systems or ducts in warm air
				  systems.
"Collector" means that component of a solar energy system
				  that receives direct or diffuse solar radiation to convert it to thermal energy
				  to be ultimately used for space conditioning or service water heating. The
				  device contains an absorber and flow passages to carry the transfer medium
				  either liquid or gaseous, to be heated. This assembly is surrounded by a casing
				  and one or more layers of glazing material.
"Biomass" means non-fossil plant material which is used for
				  fuel in direct combustion.