Current law allows for an investment tax credit if a taxpayer makes a qualified investment in an enterprise zone. The tax credit can be carried forward by a taxpayer and it is not refundable. The bill allows a taxpayer who places a new renewable energy investment in service on or after January 1, 2015, that results in an investment tax credit to elect to receive a refund of 80% of the amount of the credit and forego the remaining 20% as a cost of the election. If 80% of the credit is $750,000 or less, the taxpayer receives the full refund in the first year. If 80% of the credit is more than $750,000, the taxpayer annually receives a refund not to exceed $750,000 per income tax year until 80% of the credit is completely refunded to the taxpayer.

The bill also requires the Colorado economic development commission to annually post on its web site, or on the web site of the Colorado office of economic development, the level of renewable energy investment on and after the effective date of the bill.

Finally, the bill changes the definition of renewable energy investment. In current law it refers specifically to solar thermal electric, photovoltaic, landfill gas, wind, biomass, hydroelectric, geothermal electric, recycled energy, anaerobic digestion, or renewable fuel cell projects. The bill changes the definition to projects that generate electricity from eligible energy resources that an electric utility may use to comply with Colorado's renewable energy standard.