A. A taxpayer that files a New Mexico corporate income tax return for a taxable year beginning on or after January 1, 2010 and that purchases and installs after January 1, 2010 but before December 31, 2020 a geothermal ground-coupled heat pump in a property owned by the taxpayer may claim against the taxpayer's corporate income tax liability, and the department may allow, a tax credit of up to thirty percent of the purchase and installation costs of the system. The credit provided in this section may be referred to as the "geothermal ground-coupled heat pump tax credit". The total geothermal ground-coupled heat pump tax credit allowed to a taxpayer shall not exceed nine thousand dollars ($9,000). The department shall allow a geothermal ground-coupled heat pump tax credit only for geothermal ground-coupled heat pumps certified by the energy, minerals and natural resources department.

B. A portion of the geothermal ground-coupled heat pump tax credit that remains unused in a taxable year may be carried forward for a maximum of ten consecutive taxable years following the taxable year in which the credit originates until the credit is fully expended.

C. Prior to July 1, 2010, the energy, minerals and natural resources department shall adopt rules establishing procedures to provide certification of geothermal ground-coupled heat pumps for purposes of obtaining a geothermal ground-coupled heat pump tax credit. The rules shall address technical specifications and requirements relating to safety, building code and standards compliance, minimum system sizes, system applications and lists of eligible components. The energy, minerals and natural resources department may modify the specifications and requirements as necessary to maintain a high level of system quality and performance.

D. The department may allow a maximum annual aggregate of two million dollars ($2,000,000) in geothermal ground-coupled heat pump tax credits. Applications for the credit shall be considered in the order received by the department.

E. As used in this section, "geothermal ground-coupled heat pump" means a reversible refrigerator device that provides space heating, space cooling, domestic hot water, processed hot water, processed chilled water or any other application where hot air, cool air, hot water or chilled water is required and that utilizes ground water or water circulating through pipes buried in the ground as a condenser in the cooling mode and an evaporator in the heating mode.

History: Laws 2009, ch. 271, § 2.

Effective dates. — Laws 2009, ch. 271 contained no effective date provision, but, pursuant to N.M. Const., art. IV, § 23, was effective June 19, 2009, 90 days after the adjournment of the legislature.