January 29, 2007
Iowa

Wind energy tax breaks considered

The Floyd County Board of Supervisors is considering an ordinance that would offer tax breaks for the installation of wind energy turbines.

A public hearing on the proposed ordinance will be held at 10 a.m. Feb. 13 in the board of supervisors room at the Floyd County Courthouse.

The board reviewed wind energy ordinances from Franklin, Mitchell and Cerro Gordo counties recently before setting the public hearing.

The state of Iowa allows cities and counties to set a sliding scale for assessment of wind energy conversion property, according to Floyd County Assessor Bruce Hovden.

During the first assessment year, the property would be valued at zero percent of the net acquisition cost.

The property would be valued at 5 percent of the net acquisition cost the second year, 10 percent the third year, 15 percent the fourth year, 20 percent the fifth year and 25 percent the sixth year.

For the seventh and succeeding years, the property would be valued at 30 percent of the net acquisition cost.

The supervisors first discussed adopting a wind energy ordinance several years ago.

Tjaden Farms Inc. of Charles City began the installation of a wind turbine in 2004 and later applied for an assessment provision.

In April 2005 the board of supervisors chose not to implement a wind energy ordinance.

The owners of Tjaden Farms recently asked the supervisors to reconsider the ordinance.

Dennis White, owner of D.A. White Residential Designs in Charles City, also came to the supervisors to speak in favor of the ordinance.

White has received a grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to install a combination wind/solar energy system at a home he is building in rural Floyd County.

The system would include a 2.5 kilowatt wind generator on top of a 60-foot tower.

Now that the wind energy ordinance is being reconsidered, the Tjaden Farms owners have asked the board to allow them to benefit from it.

However, Hovden said under Iowa law, only turbines installed after the ordinance passes can benefit, and the turbine at Tjaden Farms cannot be included retroactively.

globegazette.com


URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2007/01/29/wind-energy-tax-breaks-considered/