44-1763. Distributed energy generation system agreements; disclosures; exception

A. An agreement governing the financing, sale or lease of a distributed energy generation system to any person or a political subdivision of this state must:

1. Be signed by the person buying, financing or leasing the distributed energy generation system and must be dated. Any agreement that contains blank spaces affecting the timing, value or obligations of the agreement in a material manner when signed by the buyer or lessee is voidable at the option of the buyer or lessee until the distributed energy generation system is installed. Any blank spaces in the agreement must be shown to and initialed by the buyer or lessee at the time the buyer or lessee signs the agreement.

2. Be in at least ten-point type.

3. Include a provision, which must be separately acknowledged by the buyer or lessee, granting the buyer or lessee the right to rescind the financing, sale or lease agreement for a period of not less than three business days after the agreement is signed by the buyer or lessee and before the distributed energy generation system is installed.

4. Provide a description, which must be separately acknowledged by the buyer or lessee, including the make and model of the distributed energy generation system's major components or a guarantee concerning energy production output that the distributed energy generation system being sold or leased will provide over the life of the agreement. If the warranty period for any major component is less than the duration of the agreement, the length of the warranty must be disclosed to and separately acknowledged by the buyer or lessee.

5. Separately set forth the following items, which must be separately acknowledged by the buyer or lessee, if applicable:

(a) The total purchase price or total cost to the buyer or lessee under the agreement for the distributed energy generation system over the life of the agreement.

(b) Any interest, installation fees, document preparation fees, service fees or other costs to be paid by the buyer or lessee of the distributed energy generation system.

(c) If the distributed energy generation system is being financed or leased, the total number of payments, the payment frequency, the amount of the payment expressed in dollars and the payment due date.

6. Provide a disclosure in the sale and financing agreements, to the extent they are used by the seller or marketer in determining the purchase price of the agreement, that identifies all current tax incentives and rebates or other state or federal incentives for which the buyer or lessee may be eligible and any conditions or requirements pursuant to the agreement to obtain these tax incentives, rebates or other incentives.

7. Identify the tax obligations that the buyer or lessee may be required to pay as a result of buying, financing or leasing the distributed energy generation system, including:

(a) The assessed value and the property tax assessments associated with the distributed energy generation system calculated in the year the agreement is signed.

(b) Transaction privilege taxes that may be assessed against the person buying or leasing the distributed energy generation system.

(c) Any obligation of the buyer or lessee to transfer tax credits or tax incentives of the distributed energy generation system to any other person.

8. Disclose whether the warranty or maintenance obligations related to the distributed energy generation system may be sold or transferred to a third party.

9. Include a disclosure, the receipt of which shall be separately acknowledged by the buyer or lessee, if a transfer of the sale, lease or financing agreement contains any restrictions pursuant to the agreement on the lessee's or buyer's ability to modify or transfer ownership of a distributed energy generation system, including whether any modification or transfer is subject to review or approval by a third party. If the modification or transfer of the distributed energy generation system is subject to review or approval by a third party, the agreement must identify the name, address and telephone number of, and provide for updating any change in, the entity responsible for approving the modification or transfer.

10. Include a disclosure, the receipt of which shall be separately acknowledged by the buyer or lessee, if a modification or transfer of ownership of the real property to which the distributed energy generation system is or will be affixed contains any restrictions pursuant to the agreement on the lessee's or buyer's ability to modify or transfer ownership of the real property to which the distributed energy generation system is installed or affixed, including whether any modification or transfer is subject to review or approval by a third party. If the modification or transfer of the real property to which the distributed energy generation system is affixed or installed is subject to review or approval by a third party, the agreement must identify the name, address and telephone number of, and provide for updating any change in, the entity responsible for approving the modification or transfer.

11. Provide a full and accurate summary of the total costs under the agreement for maintaining and operating the distributed energy generation system over the life of the distributed energy generation system, including financing, maintenance and construction costs related to the distributed energy generation system.

12. If the agreement contains an estimate of the buyer's or lessee's future utility charges based on projected utility rates, provide an estimate of the buyer's or lessee's future utility charges as impacted by potential utility rate changes ranging from at least a five percent annual decrease to at least a five percent annual increase from current utility costs applied to the duration of the agreement in one percent increments. Any comparative estimates must be calculated by applying the entire rate change range to the duration of the agreement.

13. Include a disclosure, the receipt of which shall be separately acknowledged by the buyer or lessee, that states:

Utility rates and utility rate structures are subject to change. These changes cannot be accurately predicted. Projected savings from your distributed energy generation system are therefore subject to change. Tax incentives are subject to change or termination by executive, legislative or regulatory action.

14. Comply with section 32-1158.

B. If a document or sales presentation relating to a distributed energy generation system states or suggests that the distributed energy generation system will result in financial savings for a buyer or lessee, the document or sales presentation must substantiate the methodology used to calculate those savings and, if the document or sales presentation is intended for a specific potential buyer or lessee, reasonably quantify the cumulative savings expected for the duration of the agreement.

C. If a document or sales presentation relating to a distributed energy generation system contains financial savings comparative estimates or utility rate comparative estimates, the document or sales presentation must include historical utility rates for the immediately preceding period of time that is of the same duration as the proposed financing or lease period for the same class of utility customer in the same utility service territory as the prospective buyer or lessee. These historical rates must be included in any comparative estimates.

D. Before the maintenance or warranty obligations of a distributed energy generation system under an existing lease, financing or purchase agreement is transferred, the person who is currently obligated to maintain or warrant the distributed energy generation system must disclose the name, address and telephone number of the person who will be assuming the maintenance or warranty of the distributed energy generation system.

E. If a document or sales presentation relating to a distributed energy generation system contains an estimate of the buyer's or lessee's future utility charges based on projected utility rates, the document or sales presentation must contain an estimate of the buyer's or lessee's future utility charges as impacted by potential utility rate changes ranging from at least a five percent annual decrease to at least a five percent annual increase from current utility costs applied to the duration of an agreement for the financing, sale or lease of a distributed energy generation system in one percent increments. Any comparative estimates must be calculated by applying the entire rate change range to the duration of the agreement.

F. Recurring payments under a distributed energy generation system lease may not begin until the distributed energy generation system is energized and interconnected.

G. This section does not apply to an individual or company, acting through its officers, employees or agents, that markets, sells, solicits, negotiates or enters into an agreement for the sale, financing or lease of a distributed energy generation system as part of a transaction involving the sale or transfer of the real property to which the distributed energy generation system is or will be affixed.