Bill Text: CT SB00102 | 2011 | General Assembly | Comm Sub

Connecticut Senate Bill 102 (Prior Session Legislation)

Bill Title: An Act Concerning Renewable Energy Resources Eligible For Assistance From The Renewable Energy Investment Fund.

Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2011-04-07 - File Number 438 [SB00102 Detail]

Download: Connecticut-2011-SB00102-Comm_Sub.html

General Assembly		*Substitute Bill No. 102*
*January Session, 2011*		_____SB00102ET____032311____

AN ACT CONCERNING RENEWABLE ENERGY RESOURCES ELIGIBLE FOR ASSISTANCE FROM THE RENEWABLE ENERGY INVESTMENT FUND.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Assembly convened:

Section 1. Subsection (a) of section 16-245n of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from passage):

(a) For purposes of this section, "renewable energy" means solar photovoltaic energy, solar thermal, geothermal energy, wind, ocean thermal energy, wave or tidal energy, fuel cells, landfill gas, hydropower that meets the low-impact standards of the Low-Impact Hydropower Institute, hydrogen production and hydrogen conversion technologies, low emission advanced biomass conversion technologies, alternative fuels, used for electricity generation including ethanol, biodiesel or other fuel produced in Connecticut and derived from agricultural produce, food waste or waste vegetable oil, provided the Commissioner of Environmental Protection determines that such fuels provide net reductions in greenhouse gas emissions and fossil fuel consumption, usable electricity from combined heat and power systems with waste heat recovery systems, thermal storage systems, waste heat recovered from a public wastewater treatment plant, and other energy resources and emerging technologies which have significant potential for commercialization and which do not involve the combustion of coal, petroleum or petroleum products, municipal solid waste or nuclear fission.

Sec. 2. Subsection (c) of section 16-245n of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from passage):

(c) There is hereby created a Renewable Energy Investment Fund which shall be within Connecticut Innovations, Incorporated for administrative purposes only. The fund may receive any amount required by law to be deposited into the fund and may receive any federal funds as may become available to the state for renewable energy investments. Upon authorization of the Renewable Energy Investments Board established pursuant to subsection (d) of this section, Connecticut Innovations, Incorporated, may use any amount in said fund for expenditures that promote investment in renewable energy sources in accordance with a comprehensive plan developed by it to foster the growth, development and commercialization of renewable energy sources, related enterprises and stimulate demand for renewable energy and deployment of renewable energy sources that serve end use customers in this state and for the further purpose of supporting operational demonstration projects for advanced technologies that reduce energy use from traditional sources. Such expenditures may include, but not be limited to, reimbursement for services provided by the administrator of the fund including a management fee, disbursements from the fund to develop and carry out the plan developed pursuant to subsection (d) of this section, grants, direct or equity investments, contracts or other actions which support research, development, manufacture, commercialization, deployment and installation of renewable energy technologies, and actions which expand the expertise of individuals, businesses and lending institutions with regard to renewable energy technologies. Not more than fifty per cent of the cost of installation of a public wastewater treatment plant from which waste heat is recovered shall be disbursed from the fund.