(a) Pre-application and notification. (1) An applicant may submit at any time a pre-application, containing the information described in § 451.8 (a) through (e), to obtain a preliminary and conditional determination of eligibility.

(2) To assist DOE in its budget planning, the owner or operator of a qualified renewable energy facility is requested to provide notification at least 6 months in advance of when a facility is expected to be first used, providing projected information specified in § 451.8 (a) through (e).

(b) Application. (1) An application for an incentive payment for electric energy generated and sold in a fiscal year must be filed during the first quarter (October 1 through December 31) of the next fiscal year, except as provided in paragraph (b)(2) of this section.

(2) For facilities whose date of first use occurred in the period October 1, 2003, through September 30, 2005, applications for incentive payments for electric energy generated and sold in fiscal year 2005 must be filed by August 31, 2006.

(3) Failure to file an application in any fiscal year for payment for energy generated in the preceding fiscal year shall disqualify the owner or operator from eligibility for any incentive payment for energy generated in that preceding fiscal year.

(c) Where. Applications and notifications to the Department shall be submitted to the Renewable Energy Production Incentive Program, U.S. Department of Energy, Golden Field Office, 1617 Cole Boulevard, Golden, CO, 80401.