S. 3021 – Reading Mode

111th CONGRESS

2d Session

S. 3021

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

February 23, 2010

Mr. Feingold (for himself and Mr. Ensign) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources

A BILL

To amend the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 to authorize the Secretary of Energy to promulgate regulations to allow electric utilities to use renewable energy to comply with any Federal renewable electricity standard, and for other purposes.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Support Renewable Energy Act of 2010.

Use of renewable energy to comply with Federal renewable electricity standard

Section 610 of the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 (as added by section 132 of the American Clean Energy Leadership Act of 2009) is amended—

(1)

in subsection (a)—

(A)

by redesignating paragraphs (10) through (12) as paragraphs (11) through (13), respectively;

(B)

by inserting after paragraph (9) the following:

(10)

Light-pipe technology

The term light-pipe technology means any equipment that uses a highly reflective pipe that—

(A)

has a solar collection component and distribution lens at the respective ends of the reflective pipe to transport visible solar radiation from the collection point of the reflective pipe to illuminate the interior of a building;

(B)

does not generate net interior heat gain; and

(C)

integrates automatic lighting controls to adjust traditionally powered lighting to satisfy building lighting requirements.

;

(C)

in paragraph (13) (as redesignated by subparagraph (A))—

(i)

by redesignating subparagraphs (A) through (I) as clauses (i) through (ix), respectively, and indenting appropriately;

(ii)

in the matter preceding clause (i) (as redesignated by clause (i)), by striking The term renewable energy means electric energy and inserting the following:

The term renewable energy means—

(A)

electric energy

;

(iii)

in clause (ix) (as redesignated by clause (i)), by striking the period at the end and inserting ; and; and

(iv)

by adding at the end the following:

(B)

energy produced through the use of customer-sited renewable energy equipment, including—

(i)

solar water heating;

(ii)

solar water and space heating or cooling;

(iii)

solar daylight and light-pipe technology;

(iv)

biogas;

(v)

ground source geothermal heat pump energy applications; or

(vi)

another renewable energy source based on innovative technology, as determined by the Secretary through rulemaking.

; and

(D)

by adding at the end the following:

(14)

Solar daylight

The term solar daylight means a system that—

(A)

uses to convey or diffuse natural light into a building—

(i)

a prismatic or other lens;

(ii)

glazing that amplifies sunlight;

(iii)

reflectors; or

(iv)

concentrators; and

(B)

does not generate net interior heat gain.

; and

(2)

in subsection (c)—

(A)

in paragraph (2)—

(i)

in subparagraph (H), by striking ; and and inserting a semicolon;

(ii)

in subparagraph (I)(iv), by striking the period at the end and inserting a semicolon; and

(iii)

by adding at the end the following:

(J)

issue renewable energy credits equal to 100 percent of the electricity (or thermal energy expressed in an electricity-equivalent) displaced by qualifying renewable energy equipment, as described in subsection (a)(13)(B); and

(K)

allocate the credits described in subparagraph (J) and credits for generators of electric energy produced through distributed generation facilities issued under subparagraphs (A), (B), and (C) to the utility, project owner, and end user that paid for the purchase, installation, and maintenance of the qualified renewable energy equipment, on the basis of the share of the cost incurred.

; and

(B)

in paragraph (3), by striking or (D) and inserting (D), or (J).