On October, 5, 2022, the U.S. Department of Treasury (Treasury) and Internal Revenue Service (IRS) published six Notices requesting public comments by November 4, 2022 on certain of the clean energy tax incentives included in the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (IRA). However, the IRS and Treasury will consider written comments received after November 4 that do not delay the relevant guidance. Input from industry stakeholders is important to help inform next steps for the IRS and Treasury and shape how these clean energy tax incentives are accessed in practice.
The Notices seek input on specific questions, as well as general comments, on key aspects of the amendments made to existing tax credits and the new tax provisions enacted by the IRA with respect to energy generation incentives [Notice 2022-49], credit monetization [Notice 2022-50], credit enhancements [Notice 2022-51], clean vehicle incentives [Notice 2022-46], manufacturing credits [Notice 2022-47], and incentives for energy efficiency in homes and buildings [Notice 2022-48]. The Notices also permit the public to submit questions about any of the energy tax provisions in the IRA, even if such provision is not identified in one of the Notices or is an existing provision not changed by the IRA.
The request for public comments suggests that Treasury and the IRS are committed to moving expeditiously to issue Treasury Regulations and other guidance. This is good news for the industry because many aspects of the new tax incentives cannot be implemented without Treasury Regulations or other guidance detailing procedural or other requirements. Further, developers, investors and other market participants need clarifications and expanded guidance on a variety of aspects of the tax provisions to, inter alia, evaluate new opportunities, create new transaction structures and optimize development of new projects and technologies.
The specific questions in the Notices presumably highlight the areas where the IRS and Treasury intend to issue Treasury Regulations or other guidance and identify where they anticipate potential confusion or ambiguity. Accordingly, it is useful to review the specific questions to know what guidance to anticipate and, more importantly, to identify questions that the IRS and Treasury have not considered for which guidance is needed. To that end, the charts below summarize some of the key questions about which input is requested.1
Electricity Generation - (Notice 2022-49)
CODE SECTION |
DESCRIPTION OF TAX PROVISION |
SUMMARY OF KEY QUESTIONS ASKED |
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45(e)(13) |
The IRA permits electricity produced by a taxpayer from qualified renewable sources to qualify for the "Production Tax Credit (PTC) if it is used by the taxpayer to produce qualified clean hydrogen at a qualified clean hydrogen facility, provided such production and use is verified by an unrelated person. |
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45(c)(10)(A)(v) |
The IRA modified the definition of marine and hydrokinetic energy to include pressurized water used in a pipeline (or similar man-made conveyance) operated for the distribution of water for agricultural, municipal, or industrial consumption and not primarily for the generation. |
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45(b)(3), 48(a)(4), 45Y(g)(8), 48E(d)(2) |
The IRA reduces the "Investment Tax Credit (ITC)" and PTC (current and the new zero-emissions credits effective after 2024) and several other credits for tax exempt bond financing, calculated in accordance with Section 45(b)(3) (or rules similar thereto). |
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48(a)(3)(A) |
The IRA expanded the definition of energy property eligible for the existing ITC to include electrochromic glass, energy storage technology, qualified biogas property, and microgrid controllers. |
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48(a)(8) |
The IRA provides that for certain energy property amounts paid or incurred for qualified interconnection property may be included in basis for purposes of the ITC. Among other requirements, the maximum net output of the energy property being interconnected to the utility cannot exceed 5 MW (AC) and the expenses must be incurred for an addition, modification, or upgrade to the utility’s transmission or distribution system that is necessary to accommodate interconnection of the project. |
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45U |
The IRA provides for a new PTC under Section 45U for electricity produced from qualified zero-emissions nuclear power facilities. The amount of the credit is reduced by a “reduction amount” that is calculated, in part, based on the gross receipts from the electricity produced by the facility. Section 45U(b)(2)(B) provides that gross receipts generally include any amount received by the facility from a “zero-emission credit program,” unless an exclusion applies. There is an exclusion for amounts received from a zero-emission credit program if the full amount of the Section 45U credit is used to reduce payments from such zero-emission credit program. |
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45Y |
The PTC for electricity generating projects placed in service after 2024 is provided under new Section 45Y, which is technology neutral and applies to electricity produced at a zero-emissions facility and sold by the taxpayer to an unrelated person. However, the electricity can be sold, consumed or stored by the taxpayer in the case of a qualified facility equipped with a metering device which is owned and operated by an unrelated person. The statute requires the Secretary to publish annual greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions rates for types or categories of facilities. For facilities where no emissions rate has been established, the facility may petition the Secretary for a determination. |
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48E |
The ITC for electricity generating projects placed in service after 2024 is provided under new Section 48E, which is technology neutral and applies to investments in electricity generating facilities with GHG emissions rates that do not exceed zero. Taxpayers can take either the PTC under 45Y or 48E. Section 48E uses the same emissions standards as under Section 45Y. |
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48(e) & 48E(h) |
The IRA provides an additional 10-20% ITC for qualifying electricity generating facilities that (i) have a maximum net output less than 5 MW (AC); (ii) receive an allocation of an environmental justice capacity limitation; and (iii) are either (A) located in a qualified low income community or on tribal land (10%), or (B) part of a low-income residential building project or low-income economic benefit project (20%). For Section 48(e), the environmental justice capacity limitations will be provided to qualified solar and wind facilities pursuant to a program with a total capacity of 1.8 gigawatts (DC) for 2023 and 2024, which must be established by the Secretary within 180 days of the IRA enactment. The Secretary is required to establish a separate environmental justice capacity limitation program by January 1, 2025 to allocate a total of 1.8 gigawatt (DC) per applicable year to qualifying zero-emissions electricity generating facilities.
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Direct Pay and Credit Transfers (Notice 2022-50)
CODE SECTION |
DESCRIPTION OF TAX PROVISION |
SUMMARY OF KEY QUESTIONS ASKED |
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6417 |
An “applicable entity” that makes an election under new Section 6417 is treated as making a payment against federal income taxes equal to the amount of such credit, and can receive such amount as a tax refund if no tax is owed (so called Direct Pay). Generally, an applicable entity means (i) any organization exempt from tax imposed by subtitle A, (ii) any State or political subdivision thereof; (iii) the Tennessee Valley Authority; (iv) an Indian tribal government; (v) any Alaska Native Corporation; or (vi) any rural electricity cooperative. However, in the case of the clean hydrogen production credit (Section 45V), the advanced manufactured credit (Section 45X) and the CCS credit (Section 45Q), other taxpayers can elect to be treated as an “applicable entity” and make the election. (Sections 6417(d)(1)(B), (C), and (D)). Special rules apply in the case of elections with respect to property held directly by partnerships or S corporations, including that the election is made by the partnership or S corporation and cannot be made by a member or shareholder, and that the refund payment is made by the IRS to the entity before determining the distributive shares of partners or shareholders. In general, the election is to be made at such time and manner as the IRS provides. However, Section 6417 also includes several specific rules regarding the effect of elections with respect to certain tax credits and that the election cannot be made later than (I) in the case of any government, or political subdivision for which no return is required under Section 6011 or Section 6033(a), the date determined by the IRS, or (II) in any other case, the due date (including extensions of time) for the tax return for the taxable year for which the election is made, but not earlier than 180 days after August 16, 2022. There are also recapture rules and penalty provisions for an “excessive payment.”
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6418 |
The IRA adds Section 6418, which permits an eligible taxpayer to make an election to sell all or any portion of certain tax credits to an unrelated person for cash, in which case the transferee identified in the election is treated as the taxpayer with respect to such tax credit and the credit is taken into account in the first taxable year of the transferee ending with, or after, the taxable year of the transferor taxpayer with respect to which the credit was determined. Any taxpayer who is not described as an applicable entity under Section 6417 is an eligible taxpayer under Section 6418. Special rules apply in the case of credit transfer elections with respect to property held directly by partnerships or S corporations, including that the election is made by the partnership or S corporation and cannot be made by a member or shareholder. There are also recapture rules and penalty provisions for an “excessive payment.” |
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Credit Enhancements - (Notice 2022-51)
CODE SECTION |
DESCRIPTION OF TAX PROVISION |
SUMMARY OF KEY QUESTIONS ASKED |
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45(b)(7), 45(b)(8), and 48(a)(10) |
The maximum PTC under Section 45 and the maximum ITC under Section 48, as applicable, is available with respect to qualified facilities when the prevailing wage and apprenticeship requirements are satisfied. The IRA revised the credit rate structure for these tax credits and several others, such that there is a low base credit, which is increased five times if the taxpayer certifies that both requirements are met. Prevailing Wage Requirement – In general, the taxpayer must ensure that all laborers and mechanics employed by the taxpayer or any contractor or subcontractor in the construction, repair or alteration of the applicable facility are paid wages at rates at least equal to prevailing wage rates set by the Secretary of Labor under the Davis-Bacon Act for construction, alteration, or repair of a similar character in the locality. The alteration and repair requirement applies for the credit period in the case of the Section 45 PTC and during the recapture period in the case of the Section 48 ITC. Sections 45(b)(7) and 48(a)(10). There are similar prevailing wage requirements under Sections 30C, 45Q, 45L, 45U, 45V, 45Y, 45Z, 48C, 48E and 179D. Apprenticeship Requirement – In general, the taxpayer is required to ensure that not less than the applicable percentage (generally 15% if construction starts after 2023) of the total labor hours of the construction, alteration, or repair work (including such work performed by any contractor or subcontractor) with respect to the applicable facility is performed by an employee who participates in a registered apprenticeship program. There are certain exceptions and penalty rules. Sections 45(b)(8) and 48(a)(11). There are similar apprenticeship requirements under Sections 30C, 45Q, 45V, 45Y, 45Z, 48C, 48E and 179D. |
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45(b)(6)(A) & 48(a)(9)(A) 45Y(a)(2)(B) and 48E(a)(2)(A) |
The maximum PTC under Sections 45 and 45Y and the maximum ITC under Sections 48 and 48E (i.e., the increased credit which is the base credit multiplied by 5) is available to any qualified facility or energy project that has a maximum net output of less than 1MW (AC) electrical or thermal energy without satisfying the prevailing wage and apprenticeship requirements. |
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45(b)(9), 45Y(g)(11), 48(a)(12), and 48E(a)(3)(B) |
The IRA added a domestic content bonus credit, which increases the amount of the PTC under Sections 45 and 45Y by 10% or adds an additional 2% or 10% ITC under Sections 48 and 48E (depending on whether the wage and apprenticeship requirements are satisfied) if the taxpayer certifies that any steel, iron, or manufactured product that is a component of the applicable facility (upon completion of construction) was produced in the United States (as determined under 49 C.F.R. 661). Sections 48(a)(12), 45Y(g)(11), and 48E(a)(3)(B) apply similar rules to those under Section 45(b)(9). Sections 48(a)(13), 45Y(g)(12), and 48E(d)(5) apply similar elective payments rules to those under § 45(b)(10). |
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45(b)(11)(A), 45Y(g)(7), 48(a)(14), and 48E(a)(3)(A) |
The IRA added an energy community bonus credit, which provides a 10% increase to the applicable PTC under Sections 45 and 45Y, or an additional 2% or 10% ITC under Sections 48 and 48E for qualified facilities located in either (1) a brownfield site (as defined in 42 U.S.C. 9601(39)(A), (B), and (D)(ii)(III)), (2) a metropolitan statistical area or non-metropolitan statistical area that has (or had, at any time after December 31, 2009) 0.17 percent or greater direct employment or 25 percent or greater local tax revenues related to the extraction, processing, transport, or storage of coal, oil, or natural gas (as determined by the Secretary), and has an unemployment rate at or above the national average unemployment rate for the previous year (as determined by the Secretary), or (3) a census tract (i) in which a coal mine closed after December 31, 1999 or a coal-fired electric generating unit was retired after December 31, 2009; or (ii) that is directly adjoining to any census tract described in (i). The definition of an energy community under Section 48(a)(14) has certain modifications. |
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Clean Vehicle Incentives (Notice 2022-46)
CODE SECTION |
DESCRIPTION OF TAX PROVISION |
SUMMARY OF KEY QUESTIONS ASKED |
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30D
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This credit is available to purchasers of new qualified clean vehicles for consumer use, which includes EV’s, plug-in hybrids, and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles. The IRA made significant changes to this tax credit, which include eliminating the manufacturer cap of 200,000 vehicles, and adding income and purchase price eligibility limitations, and content and assembly requirements. Under the content requirements, $3750 of the maximum $7500 is conditioned on the vehicle meeting certain new critical minerals requirements and $3,750 is conditioned on the vehicle meeting certain new battery components requirements. The IRA modified the credit to permit consumers to elect to transfer the credit to registered dealers for vehicles placed in service after 2023.
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25E |
The IRA added this new credit for the purchase of previously owned clean vehicles for qualified buyers. There are eligibility limits as to the maximum purchase price and taxpayer income. The credit is equal to the lesser of (1) $4,000, or (2) 30 percent of the vehicle’s purchase price. Consumers can elect to transfer the credit under rules similar to those under Section 30D with respect to vehicles acquired after 2023. |
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Manufacturing Credits (Notice 2022-47)
CODE SECTION |
DESCRIPTION OF TAX PROVISION |
SUMMARY OF KEY QUESTIONS ASKED |
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45X(a)(1), (a)(2), (b), (c) |
The IRA added this new Advanced Manufacturing Production credit for certain critical minerals and eligible components produced by a taxpayer in the United States and sold by such taxpayer to an unrelated person. Eligible components are components utilized in the construction of wind and solar facilities and energy storage technology. Components produced at facilities eligible for the qualifying advanced energy project credit under Section 48C are not eligible components.
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45X(a)(3)(B) and (d)(4) |
Under the Advanced Manufacturing Production credit, the taxpayer may make an election to treat the sale of components to a related person as made to an unrelated person. A person is treated as selling an eligible component to an unrelated person if such eligible component is integrated, incorporated, or assembled into another eligible component, which is sold to an unrelated person. |
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48C |
This is a credit for capital investments in a Qualifying Advanced Energy Project. To qualify, the project must receive certification from the IRS, which beginning January 1, 2023 will be pursuant to a new program established by the IRA. The IRA also expanded the definition of a qualifying advanced energy project. In general, a qualifying advanced energy project is a project which (i) re-equips, expands, or establishes an industrial or manufacturing facility for the production or recycling of one of nine types of property (related to clean energy); (2) re-equips an industrial or manufacturing facility with equipment that reduces GHG emissions by at least 20% using certain technologies; or (3) re-equips, expands or establishes an industrial facility for processing, refining or recycling of critical materials.
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Public comments may be filed electronically or by mail to the address provided in the relevant Notice.
The Notices do not specifically ask for comments about several important tax credits which were added or significantly changed by the IRA, including the new Clean Hydrogen Production credit under Section 45V and the Carbon Capture and Sequestration credit under Section 45Q. Some market participants consider these two credits to be among the most significant clean energy tax changes made by the IRA. Public comments can be made about the Section 45V credit or the Section 45Q credit, or any of the other clean energy tax credits not specifically identified. However, we wonder whether the IRS may issue additional Notices in the future, which would identify specific questions about these two credits and others, such as the new Clean Commercial Vehicle credit under Section 45W and the Alternative Fuel Refueling Property credit under Section 30C.
We will continue to provide updates concerning the energy tax changes to the Code made by the IRA.
FOOTNOTES
1 Note that the tables do not include all of the clean energy tax provisions addressed in the Notices and specifically does not include any tax incentives for energy efficiency in residential buildings.