§ 119-ff. Definitions. For purposes of this article:

1. "Authority" means the New York state energy research and development authority, as defined by subdivision two of section eighteen hundred fifty-one of the public authorities law, or its successor.

2. "Credit support" means and includes direct loans, letters of credit, loan guarantees, and insurance products; and the purchase of or commitment to purchase, or the sale of or commitment to sell, debt instruments, including subordinated securities.

3. "Energy audit" means a formal evaluation of the energy consumption of a permanent building or structural improvement to real property, conducted by a contractor certified by the authority, or certified by a certifying entity approved by the authority for purposes of this article, for the purpose of identifying appropriate energy efficiency improvements that could be made to the property. A municipal corporation may, by local law, provide for the certification of such contractors based upon criteria at least as stringent as the state-wide criteria for certification adopted by the authority for purposes of this article.

4. "Energy efficiency improvement" means and includes any renovation or retrofitting of a building to reduce energy consumption, such as window and door replacement, lighting, caulking, weatherstripping, air sealing, insulation, and heating and cooling system upgrades, and similar improvements, determined to be cost-effective pursuant to criteria established by the authority. However, "energy efficiency improvement" shall not include lighting measures or household appliances that are not permanently fixed to real property.

5. "Municipal corporation" means a county, town, city or village.

6. "Renewable energy system" means an energy generating system for the generation of electric or thermal energy, to be used primarily at such property, except when the owner of real property is a commercial entity, by means of solar thermal, solar photovoltaic, wind, geothermal, anaerobic digester gas-to-electricity systems, fuel cell technologies, or other renewable energy technology approved by the authority not including the combustion or pyrolysis of solid waste.

7. "Renewable energy system feasibility study" means a written study, conducted by a contractor certified by the authority, or certified by a certifying entity approved by the authority for purposes of this article, for the purpose of determining the feasibility of installing a renewable energy system. A municipal corporation may, by local law, provide for the certification of such contractors based upon criteria at least as stringent as the state-wide criteria for certification adopted by the authority for purposes of this article.