Bill Text: MN HF2413 | 2011-2012 | 87th Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: Energy resources and funding for renewable development distributed, and improvement funds provided for energy conservation and renewable development account for qualifying solar energy projects on public buildings.
Sponsorship: Slight Partisan Bill (Democrat 3-1)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2012-03-26 - Author added Hortman [HF2413 Detail]
Download: Minnesota-2011-HF2413-Introduced.html
1.2relating to energy; distributed energy resources and funding for renewable
1.3development; providing for energy conservation improvement funds and
1.4renewable development account funds for qualifying solar energy projects
1.5on public buildings;amending Minnesota Statutes 2010, sections 116C.779,
1.6subdivision 2; 216B.2411, subdivision 1.
1.7BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:
1.8 Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 116C.779, subdivision 2, is amended to
1.9read:
1.10 Subd. 2. Renewable energy production incentive. (a) Until January 1, 2021,
1.11$10,900,000 annually must be allocated from available funds in the account to fund
1.12renewable energy production incentives. Up to $9,400,000 of this annual amount is for
1.13incentives for electricity generated by wind energy conversion systems that are eligible for
1.14the incentives under section216C.41 or Laws 2005, chapter 40.
1.15(b)The balance of this amount, up to At least $1,500,000 annually, may of the
1.16amount specified in paragraph (a) must be used for production incentives for on-farm
1.17biogas recovery facilities and hydroelectric facilities that are eligible for the incentive
1.18under section216C.41 or for production incentives for other renewables, to including
1.19qualifying solar energy projects as defined by section 216B.2411. The incentives must
1.20be provided in the same manner as under section216C.41 , with at least $1,000,000
1.21annually being used for production incentives for qualifying solar energy projects on
1.22public buildings within the public utility's service territory.
1.23(c) Any portion of the $10,900,000 not expended in any calendar year for the
1.24incentive is available for other spending purposes under this section. This subdivision
1.25does not create an obligation to contribute funds to the account.
2.1(d) The Department of Commerce shall determine eligibility of projects under
2.2section216C.41 for the purposes of this subdivision. At least quarterly, the Department of
2.3Commerce shall notify the public utility of the name and address of each eligible project
2.4owner and the amount due to each project under section216C.41 . The public utility shall
2.5make payments within 15 working days after receipt of notification of payments due.
2.6 Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 216B.2411, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
2.7 Subdivision 1. Generation projects. (a) Any municipality or rural electric
2.8association providing electric service and subject to section216B.241 may, and each
2.9public utility may, use five percent of the total amount to be spent on energy conservation
2.10improvements under section216B.241 , on:
2.11 (1) projects in Minnesota to construct an electric generating facility that utilizes
2.12eligible renewable energy sources as defined in subdivision 2, such as methane or other
2.13combustible gases derived from the processing of plant or animal wastes, biomass fuels
2.14such as short-rotation woody or fibrous agricultural crops, or other renewable fuel, as
2.15its primary fuel source;
2.16 (2) projects in Minnesota to install a distributed generation facility of ten megawatts
2.17or less of interconnected capacity that is fueled by natural gas, renewable fuels, or another
2.18similarly clean fuel; or
2.19 (3) projects in Minnesota to install a qualifying solar energy project as defined in
2.20subdivision 2.
2.21 (b) A municipality, rural electric association, or public utility that offers a program
2.22to customers to promote installing qualifying solar energy projects may request authority
2.23from the commissioner to exceed the five percent limit in paragraph (a), but not to exceed
2.24ten percent, to meet customer demand for installation of qualifying solar energy projects.
2.25In considering this request, the commissioner shall consider customer interest in qualifying
2.26solar energy and the impact on other customers, and whether at least 50 percent of the
2.27additional funds are being spent on qualifying solar energy projects on public buildings. A
2.28municipality, rural electric association, or public utility may not participate in a qualifying
2.29solar energy project on a property unless it is provided evidence that all reasonable
2.30cost-effective conservation investments have previously been made to the property.
2.31(c) For a municipality, rural electric association, or public utility, projects under
2.32this section must be considered energy conservation improvements as defined in section
2.33216B.241
.
1.3development; providing for energy conservation improvement funds and
1.4renewable development account funds for qualifying solar energy projects
1.5on public buildings;amending Minnesota Statutes 2010, sections 116C.779,
1.6subdivision 2; 216B.2411, subdivision 1.
1.7BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:
1.8 Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 116C.779, subdivision 2, is amended to
1.9read:
1.10 Subd. 2. Renewable energy production incentive. (a) Until January 1, 2021,
1.11$10,900,000 annually must be allocated from available funds in the account to fund
1.12renewable energy production incentives. Up to $9,400,000 of this annual amount is for
1.13incentives for electricity generated by wind energy conversion systems that are eligible for
1.14the incentives under section
1.15(b)
1.16amount specified in paragraph (a) must be used for production incentives for on-farm
1.17biogas recovery facilities and hydroelectric facilities that are eligible for the incentive
1.18under section
1.19qualifying solar energy projects as defined by section 216B.2411. The incentives must
1.20be provided in the same manner as under section
1.21annually being used for production incentives for qualifying solar energy projects on
1.22public buildings within the public utility's service territory.
1.23(c) Any portion of the $10,900,000 not expended in any calendar year for the
1.24incentive is available for other spending purposes under this section. This subdivision
1.25does not create an obligation to contribute funds to the account.
2.1(d) The Department of Commerce shall determine eligibility of projects under
2.2section
2.3Commerce shall notify the public utility of the name and address of each eligible project
2.4owner and the amount due to each project under section
2.5make payments within 15 working days after receipt of notification of payments due.
2.6 Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 216B.2411, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
2.7 Subdivision 1. Generation projects. (a) Any municipality or rural electric
2.8association providing electric service and subject to section
2.9public utility may, use five percent of the total amount to be spent on energy conservation
2.10improvements under section
2.11 (1) projects in Minnesota to construct an electric generating facility that utilizes
2.12eligible renewable energy sources as defined in subdivision 2, such as methane or other
2.13combustible gases derived from the processing of plant or animal wastes, biomass fuels
2.14such as short-rotation woody or fibrous agricultural crops, or other renewable fuel, as
2.15its primary fuel source;
2.16 (2) projects in Minnesota to install a distributed generation facility of ten megawatts
2.17or less of interconnected capacity that is fueled by natural gas, renewable fuels, or another
2.18similarly clean fuel; or
2.19 (3) projects in Minnesota to install a qualifying solar energy project as defined in
2.20subdivision 2.
2.21 (b) A municipality, rural electric association, or public utility that offers a program
2.22to customers to promote installing qualifying solar energy projects may request authority
2.23from the commissioner to exceed the five percent limit in paragraph (a), but not to exceed
2.24ten percent, to meet customer demand for installation of qualifying solar energy projects.
2.25In considering this request, the commissioner shall consider customer interest in qualifying
2.26solar energy and the impact on other customers, and whether at least 50 percent of the
2.27additional funds are being spent on qualifying solar energy projects on public buildings. A
2.28municipality, rural electric association, or public utility may not participate in a qualifying
2.29solar energy project on a property unless it is provided evidence that all reasonable
2.30cost-effective conservation investments have previously been made to the property.
2.31(c) For a municipality, rural electric association, or public utility, projects under
2.32this section must be considered energy conservation improvements as defined in section
