On December 17, 2003, the Nevada Public Utilities Commission (PUC) voted to adopt interconnection rules for customers of Nevada Power and Sierra Pacific Power with new on-site generation of 20 MW or smaller. The rules also implement Nevada's net metering standards that were passed in the 2003 legislative session. The standards increase the net metering limit from 10 kW to 30 kW per customer and reflect the legislature's removal of the limit on the number of customers who may exercise the net metering option.

For more information contact the Nevada Department of Business and Industry or the Public Utilities Commission of Nevada.

The Nevada PUC established that distributed generation customers can be assessed for past fuel and purchased power expenses under tariffs proposed by Nevada Power and Sierra Pacific Power.  

Renewable Energy Producers Property Tax Exemption

Enacted in 2001, this statute allows certain new or expanded businesses a 50% property tax exemption for real and personal property used to generate electricity from renewable energy. The exemption may be taken over a 10-year period by a business that uses renewable energy as its primary source of energy and that has a generating capacity of at least 10 kW. Renewable energy includes biomass, solar, and wind.  For more information contact the Nevada Commission on Economic Development.

Renewable Energy Portfolio Standard

In its 1997 restructuring legislation, the Nevada legislature established a renewable energy portfolio standard. Under the standard, the state's two investor-owned utilities, Nevada Power and Sierra Pacific Power, must derive a minimum percentage of the total electricity they sell from renewable energy resources, as follows:

Energy providers are allowed to buy and sell renewable energy credits (RECs). Retail energy providers complying with Nevada’s RPS can purchase credits from the owners of the RECs. One REC will represent a kilowatt-hour of electricity generated from a renewable energy system.

To help facilitate the renewable projects called for in the renewable energy portfolio standard, the PUCN established the Temporary Renewable Energy Development (TRED) Program. The TRED program is meant to ensure prompt payment to renewable energy providers to encourage completion of renewable energy projects. For more information contact the Public Utilities Commission of Nevada

Renewable Energy Credits

As stated above, Nevada's renewable energy producers can earn RECs, which they can then be sell to utilities that are required to meet Nevada's portfolio standard.   To earn RECs, contact the PUCN to have your system certified. A list of certified renewable energy systems is available on the PUCN website. For more information contact the Public Utilities Commission of Nevada.

The US Department of Energy has produced wind resource maps for each state. The map for Nevada can be found here. You may also find the definitions of Wind Power Classes for the maps helpful.

The US Department of Energy’s Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Network has also collected wind resource data for Nevada.

You may also find useful information at the web site for the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL).

The American Wind Energy Association provides a list of wind turbine manufacturers. For a list of wind turbine installers in your area, please contact the manufacturers.

Source Guides offer a list of renewable energy companies in each state.  To see companies in Nevada, visit their website.

The Public Utilities Commission of Nevada hosts a renewable energy information page.  For more information on utilities and renewable energy visit Renewable Energy.

Nevada State Office of Energy
The Office of Energy has a nicely organized website with a page dedicated to wind and wind resources.  For more information visit the Nevada State Office of Energy.

Nevada State Wind Working Group
A Nevada State Wind Working Group has been formed under Wind Powering America to identify specific state concerns, barriers, and obstacles to wind development in Nevada. The working group is a collaboration of government agencies, nonprofit organizations, businesses, and industries interested in wind development. If you are interested in participating in future meetings, please contact Pete Konesky, State Energy Office, phone 775-684-8735 or Bob Cooper, Attorney General's Office of Consumer Protection, phone 775-687-6300.

Rural Outreach Work Group

The Rural Outreach Work Group was formed to facilitate the development of renewable energy projects in rural Nevada. The work group was formed after the 2002 Nevada Land Use Summit to follow up on interest expressed at the summit in renewable energy applications. Particular interest was expressed in small wind projects that could defray the expense of irrigation.  For more information, visit the group’s website.

Energy Foundation

The Energy Foundation is a partnership of major foundations interested in sustainable energy, which has funded several projects in Nevada.  It was launched in 1991 by The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, The Pew Charitable Trusts, and The Rockefeller Foundation. The Mertz-Gilmore Foundation joined as a funding partner in 1996, The McKnight Foundation joined in 1998, and The David and Lucile Packard Foundation joined in 1999. For more information, visit the Energy Foundation.

Desert Research Institute

Wind resource data from the Desert Research Institutes of the Western Regional Climate Center can be found at this website. This site has the locations of wind data and covers 4-5 sources of wind data.

Last Updated: April 2005

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