Terms Used In Rhode Island General Laws > Chapter 44-57 - Residential Renewable Energy System Tax Credit

• Active: means a solar renewable energy system that uses mechanical parts to collect, store, and move heat;

  (2)  "Applicant" means a party who files a Rhode Island tax return and applies for a residential alternative energy device tax credit under this section;

  (3)  "Application form" means the form that goes to the state energy office that will determine if systems meet the requirements for this tax credit;

  (4)  "Array" means any number of photovoltaic modules connected together electrically to provide a single electrical output;

  (5)  "BTU" means British thermal unit;

  (6)  "Consumer disclosure" means a form provided by the state energy office describing the renewable energy system. See Rhode Island General Laws 44-57-2

• Appeal: A request made after a trial, asking another court (usually the court of appeals) to decide whether the trial was conducted properly. To make such a request is "to appeal" or "to take an appeal." One who appeals is called the appellant.
• Complaint: A written statement by the plaintiff stating the wrongs allegedly committed by the defendant.
• Consumer information: means literature that is provided by the state energy office to contractors, solar dealers, and consumers informing them about the tax credit contained in this chapter and general consumer information;

  (8)  "Contractor" means a person or company who sells and/or installs renewable energy systems;

  (9)  "Contractors' certification" means a contractor system certification issued by the state energy office to a contractor for a specific renewable energy system. See Rhode Island General Laws 44-57-2

• Contract: A legal written agreement that becomes binding when signed.
• Corporation: A legal entity owned by the holders of shares of stock that have been issued, and that can own, receive, and transfer property, and carry on business in its own name.
• Deed: The legal instrument used to transfer title in real property from one person to another.
• Director: means the director of the Rhode Island state energy office or the director's representative;

  (12)  "Domestic water heating" means the heating of water used in a dwelling for bathing, clothes washing, dishwashing, and other related functions;

  (13)  "Dwelling" means real property inhabited as a principal or secondary residence and located within this state. See Rhode Island General Laws 44-57-2

• Dwelling: includes , but is not limited to, an individual unit within multiple unit residential housing. See Rhode Island General Laws 44-57-2
• Fraud: Intentional deception resulting in injury to another.
• Hybrid: means a renewable energy system that uses some active and passive elements as part of the system;

  (16)  "Installing contractor" means the contractor or subcontractor who actually installs the renewable energy system. See Rhode Island General Laws 44-57-2

• in writing: include printing, engraving, lithographing, and photo-lithographing, and all other representations of words in letters of the usual form. See Rhode Island General Laws 43-3-16
• Inverter: means the device used to convert direct current (DC) to alternating current (AC) in a photovoltaic system;

  (18)  "kWh" means kilowatt-hour; one kWh = 3,413 BTUs;

  (19)  "Module" means the smallest non-divisible self-contained physical structure housing interconnected photovoltaic cells and providing a single DC electrical output;

  (20)  "MM" means million;

  (21)  "Net cost" means what the applicant paid to purchase the renewable energy system. See Rhode Island General Laws 44-57-2

• Mortgage: The written agreement pledging property to a creditor as collateral for a loan.
• Mortgagor: The person who pledges property to a creditor as collateral for a loan and who receives the money.
• Obligation: An order placed, contract awarded, service received, or similar transaction during a given period that will require payments during the same or a future period.
• Partnership: A voluntary contract between two or more persons to pool some or all of their assets into a business, with the agreement that there will be a proportional sharing of profits and losses.
• person: may be construed to extend to and include co-partnerships and bodies corporate and politic. See Rhode Island General Laws 43-3-6
• Real property: Land, and all immovable fixtures erected on, growing on, or affixed to the land.
• State energy office: means the Rhode Island state energy office, also known as the governor's office of energy assistance, within the department of administration;

  (28)  "System approval" means an approval given to renewable energy systems that meet all of the requirements of the state energy office;

  (29)  "System certification" means certification that a renewable energy system as described in the application meets criteria for the tax credit;

  (30)  "Used equipment" means any solar tank or collector which previously has been installed or any piece of equipment not under current manufacturers' warranty;

  (31)  "Verification form" means a form filed with the division of taxation (upon request) by an applicant claiming eligibility for the tax credit. See Rhode Island General Laws 44-57-2

• town: may be construed to include city; the words "town council" include city council; the words "town clerk" include city clerk; the words "ward clerk" include clerk of election district; the words "town treasurer" include city treasurer; and the words "town sergeant" include city sergeant. See Rhode Island General Laws 43-3-9
• Trustor: The person who makes or creates a trust. Also known as the grantor or settlor.
• Watt: means the electrical unit of power or rate of doing work. See Rhode Island General Laws 44-57-2
• Wind energy system: means a system that produces electricity through the use of wind generators or wind turbines. See Rhode Island General Laws 44-57-2