Committee hears bill to protect nonprofits from property taxes tied to solar installations amid concerns over breadth of exemption

The Committee on Business and Economic Development heard testimony March 19, 2025, on Bill B26-55, the Nonprofit Solar Tax Exemption Amendment Act of 2025, a measure that would amend D.C. law to prevent property tax assessments on tax-exempt buildings and grounds used for solar energy generation, energy storage, energy-management activities and electric-vehicle charging. The bill would also, as the chair stated during the hearing, not permit a nonprofit to sell excess power generated by the solar facilities.

Witnesses from charter schools, houses of worship, solar industry groups and solar installers described a recent Office of Tax and Revenue (OTR) determination that treated a power-purchase-agreement (PPA) installation at a nonprofit school as a taxable commercial lease and produced a multi‑year tax bill. They said the ruling has frozen planned projects, threatened existing systems and unfairly penalized organizations that installed solar to lower operating costs.

Simon Rodberg, Executive Director of Lee Montessori Public Charter Schools, said Lee Montessori "has saved the school approximately $56,000 in energy…