Bill Text: MN SF1023 | 2011-2012 | 87th Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: Renewable development account grant allocations elimination and public utilities commission (PUC) approval of expenditures temporary prohibition
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 2-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2011-03-25 - Author added Rosen [SF1023 Detail]
Download: Minnesota-2011-SF1023-Introduced.html
1.2relating to energy; eliminating certain allocations and temporarily prohibiting
1.3approval of certain expenditures from renewable development account;amending
1.4Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 116C.779, subdivision 3.
1.5BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:
1.6 Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 116C.779, subdivision 3, is amended to
1.7read:
1.8 Subd. 3. Initiative for Renewable Energy and the Environment. (a) Beginning
1.9July 1, 2009, and each July 1 through2012 2010, $5,000,000 must be allocated from the
1.10renewable development account to fund a grant to the Board of Regents of the University
1.11of Minnesota for the Initiative for Renewable Energy and the Environment for the purposes
1.12described in paragraph (b). The Initiative for Renewable Energy and the Environment
1.13must set aside at least 15 percent of the funds received annually under the grant for
1.14qualified projects conducted at a rural campus or experiment station. Any set-aside funds
1.15not awarded to a rural campus or experiment station at the end of the fiscal year revert
1.16back to the Initiative for Renewable Energy and the Environment for its exclusive use.
1.17This subdivision does not create an obligation to contribute funds to the account.
1.18(b) Activities funded under this grant may include, but are not limited to:
1.19(1) environmentally sound production of energy from a renewable energy source,
1.20including biomass and agricultural crops;
1.21(2) environmentally sound production of hydrogen from biomass and any other
1.22renewable energy source for energy storage and energy utilization;
1.23(3) development of energy conservation and efficient energy utilization technologies;
1.24(4) energy storage technologies; and
2.1(5) analysis of policy options to facilitate adoption of technologies that use or
2.2produce low-carbon renewable energy.
2.3(c) For the purposes of this subdivision:
2.4(1) "biomass" means plant and animal material, agricultural and forest residues,
2.5mixed municipal solid waste, and sludge from wastewater treatment; and
2.6(2) "renewable energy source" means hydro, wind, solar, biomass, and geothermal
2.7energy, and microorganisms used as an energy source.
2.8(d) Beginning January 15 of 2010, and each year thereafter, the director of the
2.9Initiative for Renewable Energy and the Environment at the University of Minnesota shall
2.10submit a report to the chair and ranking minority members of the senate and house of
2.11representatives committees with primary jurisdiction over energy finance describing the
2.12activities conducted during the previous year funded under this subdivision.
2.13EFFECTIVE DATE.This section is effective the day following final enactment.
2.14 Sec. 2. TEMPORARY PROHIBITION ON PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION
2.15APPROVAL OF RENEWABLE DEVELOPMENT ACCOUNT EXPENDITURES.
2.16Notwithstanding Minnesota Statutes, section 116C.779, the Public Utilities
2.17Commission may not approve expenditures from the renewable development account
2.18created by Minnesota Statutes, section 116C.779, during the period between the effective
2.19date of this section and July 1, 2012.
2.20EFFECTIVE DATE.This section is effective the day following final enactment.
1.3approval of certain expenditures from renewable development account;amending
1.4Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 116C.779, subdivision 3.
1.5BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:
1.6 Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 116C.779, subdivision 3, is amended to
1.7read:
1.8 Subd. 3. Initiative for Renewable Energy and the Environment. (a) Beginning
1.9July 1, 2009, and each July 1 through
1.10renewable development account to fund a grant to the Board of Regents of the University
1.11of Minnesota for the Initiative for Renewable Energy and the Environment for the purposes
1.12described in paragraph (b). The Initiative for Renewable Energy and the Environment
1.13must set aside at least 15 percent of the funds received annually under the grant for
1.14qualified projects conducted at a rural campus or experiment station. Any set-aside funds
1.15not awarded to a rural campus or experiment station at the end of the fiscal year revert
1.16back to the Initiative for Renewable Energy and the Environment for its exclusive use.
1.17This subdivision does not create an obligation to contribute funds to the account.
1.18(b) Activities funded under this grant may include, but are not limited to:
1.19(1) environmentally sound production of energy from a renewable energy source,
1.20including biomass and agricultural crops;
1.21(2) environmentally sound production of hydrogen from biomass and any other
1.22renewable energy source for energy storage and energy utilization;
1.23(3) development of energy conservation and efficient energy utilization technologies;
1.24(4) energy storage technologies; and
2.1(5) analysis of policy options to facilitate adoption of technologies that use or
2.2produce low-carbon renewable energy.
2.3(c) For the purposes of this subdivision:
2.4(1) "biomass" means plant and animal material, agricultural and forest residues,
2.5mixed municipal solid waste, and sludge from wastewater treatment; and
2.6(2) "renewable energy source" means hydro, wind, solar, biomass, and geothermal
2.7energy, and microorganisms used as an energy source.
2.8(d) Beginning January 15 of 2010, and each year thereafter, the director of the
2.9Initiative for Renewable Energy and the Environment at the University of Minnesota shall
2.10submit a report to the chair and ranking minority members of the senate and house of
2.11representatives committees with primary jurisdiction over energy finance describing the
2.12activities conducted during the previous year funded under this subdivision.
2.13EFFECTIVE DATE.This section is effective the day following final enactment.
2.14 Sec. 2. TEMPORARY PROHIBITION ON PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION
2.15APPROVAL OF RENEWABLE DEVELOPMENT ACCOUNT EXPENDITURES.
2.16Notwithstanding Minnesota Statutes, section 116C.779, the Public Utilities
2.17Commission may not approve expenditures from the renewable development account
2.18created by Minnesota Statutes, section 116C.779, during the period between the effective
2.19date of this section and July 1, 2012.
2.20EFFECTIVE DATE.This section is effective the day following final enactment.
