1. The Commission shall establish the Solar Thermal Systems Demonstration Program to carry out the intent of the Legislature to promote the installation of at least 3,000 solar thermal systems in homes, businesses, schools and other governmental buildings throughout this State by 2019.

2. The Demonstration Program must have four categories of participants as follows:

(a) School property;

(b) Public and other property;

(c) Private residential property; and

(d) Small business property.

3. To be eligible to participate in the Demonstration Program, a person must:

(a) Apply to a utility on a form prescribed by the Commission;

(b) Meet the qualifications established pursuant to subsection 5 and be approved by the utility;

(c) When installing a solar thermal system, use an installer who has been issued the appropriate license by the State Contractors’ Board; and

(d) If the person participates in the category of school property or public and other property, provide for the public display of the solar thermal system, including, without limitation, providing for public demonstrations of the solar thermal system and for hands-on experience of the solar thermal system by the public.

4. The utility shall notify each applicant who is approved to participate in the Demonstration Program not later than 10 days after the approval.

5. The Commission shall adopt regulations which must include, without limitation, provisions which:

(a) Establish the qualifications an applicant must meet to qualify to participate in the Demonstration Program.

(b) Establish specifications for the design, installation, energy output and displacement standards of the solar thermal systems that qualify for the Demonstration Program.

(c) Require that the components of any solar thermal system be new and unused.

(d) Require that any solar thermal collector have a warranty against defects and undue degradation of not less than 10 years.

(e) Require that a solar thermal system be installed in a building which is connected to the existing distribution system of a utility in this State.

(f) Require that a solar thermal system be installed in conformity with the manufacturer’s specifications and all applicable codes and standards.

(g) Establish siting and installation requirements for solar thermal systems to ensure efficient and appropriate installation and to promote maximized performance of such systems.

6. As used in this section, “applicant” means a person who applies to the utility to participate in the Demonstration Program.

(Added to NRS by 2009, 2264; A 2011, 1020)