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Editorial: Incentivizing investment in energy efficiency By the Bozeman Chronicle Editorial Board
In a very forward-thinking move, Gallatin County commissioners opted to designate the county as a Commercial Property Assessed Capital Enhancement district as part of a statewide program designed to incentivize commercial property owners and farmers to invest in alternative energy and energy efficiency improvements to their businesses.
Financed by a third-party lender, the cost of the improvements will be repaid through the business owners’ property taxes and passed through to the lending institution. The projects can be financed over the time during which they will yield energy savings — perhaps 20 to 30 years. And the obligation stays with the property when sold. Improvements like the installation of solar panels or additional insulation qualify. The improvements are projected to pay back the initial investment multiple times over through energy savings.
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