Nebraska Incentives and Laws for Ethanol
The list below contains summaries of all Nebraska incentives and laws related to Ethanol.
State Incentives
Cellulosic Ethanol Investment Tax Credit
A qualified investor may receive a tax credit of up to 40% of an investment in a small business that is improving, researching, developing, or producing a proprietary product, process, or service related to cellulosic ethanol. A qualified investor is an individual, trust, or pass-through entity that meets certain requirements set by the Nebraska Department of Economic Development. An eligible small business must employ up to 25 individuals, be headquartered in Nebraska, and employ over half of its employees in the state or have over half of its total payroll paid or incurred in the state. Up to $3 million in tax credits is available annually, and up to $1 million in tax credits is available for a single qualified small business. Tax credits are available until 2017. (Reference Legislative Bill 389, 2011)
Ethanol Production Tax Credit
A new ethanol facility that reached a minimum annual production capacity of 100,000 gallons, before denaturing, before June 30, 2004, may be eligible for a tax credit in the form of a transferable motor vehicle tax credit certificate of $0.18 per gallon of ethanol produced. This credit is available to the facility for 96 consecutive months beginning with the first calendar month of eligibility and ending no later than June 30, 2012. Credits are available for up to 15,625,000 gallons of ethanol produced annually at each facility, and for up to 125,000,000 gallons of ethanol produced at each facility by the end of the 96-month period. Credits are only available for ethanol produced at a facility in Nebraska at which all fermentation, distillation, and dehydration takes place. Producers must have entered into an agreement with the Nebraska Tax Commissioner before April 16, 2004, to receive credits and submit the claims for credits to the Nebraska Department of Revenue within three years of the date of ethanol production, or by September 30, 2012, whichever occurs first. Other restrictions may apply. (Reference Nebraska Statutes 66-1344 and 66-1344.01)
Alternative Fuel Vehicle (AFV) and Fueling Infrastructure Loans
The Nebraska Energy Office administers the Dollar and Energy Saving Loan Program (Program). The Program makes low-cost loans available for a variety of alternative fuel projects, including the replacement of conventional vehicles with AFVs; the purchase of new AFVs; the conversion of conventional vehicles to operate on alternative fuels; and the construction or purchase of a fueling station or equipment. The maximum loan amount is $750,000 per borrower, and the interest rate is 5% or less.
Ethanol and Biodiesel Tax Exemption
Motor fuels sold to an ethanol or biodiesel production facility and motor fuels manufactured at an ethanol or biodiesel facility are exempt from certain motor fuel tax laws the Motor Fuels Division of the Nebraska Department of Revenue enforces. (Reference Nebraska Statutes 66-489 and 66-496)
Laws and Regulations
Alternative Fuel Use
All state employees operating flexible fuel or diesel vehicles as part of the state fleet must use E85 or biodiesel blends whenever reasonably available. Additionally, the Nebraska Transportation Services Bureau and Nebraska Department of Roads must take steps to increase access to E85 and blends of 2% biodiesel (B2) for state vehicle operators. (Reference Executive Order 05-03, 2005)
Advanced Biofuels Strategic Plan
The Natural Resources Committee of the Legislature (Committee) worked with Bio Nebraska, a nonprofit corporation, to develop a five-year strategic plan to grow the bioscience industry in the state. The Nebraska Bioscience Roadmap 2010 includes recommendations related to the development of advanced biofuels. The Committee will prepare and present annual updates on the strategic plan to the Legislature. (Reference Nebraska Statutes 50-501)
Regional Biofuels Corridor
Nebraska joined Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wisconsin in adopting a cooperative initiative under the Energy Security and Climate Stewardship Platform Plan (Platform). The Platform establishes a regional biofuels corridor program and directs state transportation, agriculture, and regulatory officials to develop a system of coordinated signage across the Midwest for biofuels and advanced transportation fuels and to collaborate to create regional E85 corridors. The program requires standardized fuel product coding at fueling stations as well as increased education for retailers about converting existing fueling infrastructure to dispense E85.
