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The Geothermal Machinery or Equipment Credit:
• includes machinery or equipment owned by the taxpayer for use at the taxpayer’s residence
• includes the cost of a heat pump that uses the ground or groundwater as a thermal energy source to heat a structure or as a
thermal energy sink to cool a structure
• includes the cost of machinery or equipment that uses the internal heat of the earth as a substitute for traditional energy for
water heating or active space heating or cooling
• is for machinery and equipment that, on the date of installation, meets or exceeds applicable federal Energy Star requirements
• may only be claimed if the system is installed on or after January 1, 2016
• is limited to $3,500 in any tax year
Certification:
• The SRCC certifies solar hot water systems.
• Any solar interconnection agreement between a utility and a taxpayer is certification the system has been reviewed by an
appropriate entity.
• Taxpayers with a solar energy system not connected to the grid must complete the Certification for PV Systems form,
available at energy.sc.gov.
• For all other equipment, the manufacturer certifies the equipment meets applicable federal standards.
• Keep all system, machinery, and equipment certifications with your tax records.
Definitions:
System includes all controls, tanks, pumps, heat exchangers, and other equipment used directly and exclusively for the solar energy
system. It does not include any land or structural elements of the building, such as walls and roofs or other equipment ordinarily
contained in the structure. The credit is not allowed for a solar system unless the system is certified for performance by the SRCC or a
comparable entity endorsed by the State Energy Office.
Small hydropower system is a new generation capacity on a nonimpoundment or on an existing impoundment that:
• meets licensing standards as defined by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission; or
• is a run-of-the-river facility with a capacity not to exceed 5MW; or
• consists of a turbine in a pipeline or in an irrigation canal.
Geothermal machinery and equipment is a heat pump that uses ground or groundwater as a thermal energy source to heat a
structure or as a thermal energy sink to cool a structure. It uses the internal heat of the earth as a substitute for traditional energy for
water heating or active space heating or cooling.
Line Instructions:
Line 1: Enter the total costs of the purchase and installation of a solar energy system, small hydropower system, or geothermal
machinery and equipment. Include any costs that were not claimed in a previous year. The credit is claimed in the year installation is
complete.
Line 2: The credit allowed is for 25% of the purchase and installation costs.
Line 3: Enter any amounts carried forward from previous tax years. Unused credits may be carried forward for up to 10 years. If you
are claiming the credit in a carryforward year, begin with this line.
Line 6: The credit for solar energy or small hydropower systems cannot exceed $3,500 for each facility. The credit for geothermal
machinery and equipment can only be claimed for one facility.
Line 8: Enter the Income Tax liability from line 10 of the SC1040 or line 9 of the SC1120.
Line 9: The total credit claimed in a year may not exceed 50% of your Income Tax liability.
If filing a paper return, attach to your Income Tax return. If filing electronically, include the information from this form when you file your
return. Keep a copy of the form with your tax records.
Social Security Privacy Act Disclosure
It is mandatory that you provide your Social Security Number on this tax form if you are an individual taxpayer. 42 U.S.C. 405(c)(2)(C)(i)
permits a state to use an individual's Social Security Number as means of identification in administration of any tax. SC Regulation
117-201 mandates that any person required to make a return to the SCDOR must provide identifying numbers, as prescribed, for
securing proper identification. Your Social Security Number is used for identification purposes.
The Family Privacy Protection Act
Under the Family Privacy Protection Act, the collection of personal information from citizens by the SCDOR is limited to the information
necessary for the SCDOR to fulfill its statutory duties. In most instances, once this information is collected by the SCDOR, it is protected
by law from public disclosure. In those situations where public disclosure is not prohibited, the Family Privacy Protection Act prevents
such information from being used by third parties for commercial solicitation purposes.
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