On March 24th, 2026, NYSEIA and the Alliance for Clean Energy New York (ACE NY) submitted joint comments on the Draft 2026 Appraisal Model for Solar and Wind Projects. 

The Draft 2026 Appraisal Model produces appraised values for solar projects that are significantly higher than those of the 2025 model. The 2026 Model increases project valuation for all project types, but the increase is most significant for VDER compensated distributed solar projects. NYSEIA and ACE NY state in the comments that appraisal assumptions should align with economic considerations that inform real world transitions between willing buyers and sellers.

The model serves as a way for renewables projects to assess their taxes accurately, timely, and consistently, and the adoption of a statewide appraisal methodology has meaningly improved this for assessors, local governments, and project owners alike. Delivering on the Model’s intent to establish a fair and stable method for assessing taxes on solar and wind projects in the State is extremely important for determining whether cost-saving energy resources can be financed and built at scale. 

ACE NY and NYSEIA make the following recommendations: 

• The final model should allow users to enter host community benefit payment values for all projects that make such payments regardless of project size or if the payment is mandated

• The 2026 model should maintain 2025 model functionality to differentiate between fixed-tilt and tracking solar technologies 

• The model should retain size-based operating expense scaling for smaller projects and ensure OpEx assumptions are realistic

• Ensure energy rates are accurate and stable, and consider limiting year-to-year changes to energy price forecasts and associated project revenues

• Update the model to address remote net metering use case 

• Discount rates reflect increased risk associated with projects

• Align the appraisal model with observed component replacement realities and timing

Read the full comments below: