Bill Text: VA SR47 | 2014 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Solar generation and net metering, distributed; DEQ & DMME to jointly study costs and benefits.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 2-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2014-03-06 - Passed by indefinitely in Rules with letter by voice vote [SR47 Detail]
Download: Virginia-2014-SR47-Introduced.html
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14105434D WHEREAS, it is the Commonwealth's codified policy to support research and development of, and promote the use of, renewable energy sources; and WHEREAS, Virginia's net metering law allows customers of investor-owned and cooperative electric utilities to install solar or small wind power systems on their premises, and to receive full retail credit for any excess electricity their renewable energy systems generate; and WHEREAS, residential utility customers may install systems up to 20 kilowatts in capacity and nonresidential customers up to 500 kilowatts; and WHEREAS, enrollment in net metering is open on a first-come, first-served basis until the rated generating capacity owned and operated by customer-generators in the state reaches one percent of each electric distribution company's peak load for the previous year; and WHEREAS, solar electric generating facility prices continue to fall, prompting increased interest by a number of Virginia's residential, commercial, and local government customers in net energy metering; and WHEREAS, tangible data is needed in order to evaluate accurately the costs and benefits associated with distributed solar generation and net energy metering; and WHEREAS, the mission of the Department of Environmental Quality is to protect and enhance Virginia's environment and promote the health of the citizens of the Commonwealth, and in 2009, the General Assembly directed the Department of Environmental Quality to develop a permit-by-rule regulatory program for small renewable energy projects; and WHEREAS, the primary goal of the Energy Division of the Department of Mines, Minerals and Energy is to advance sustainable energy practices and behaviors; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED by the Senate, That the Department of Environmental Quality and the Department of Mines, Minerals and Energy be requested to jointly convene a stakeholder group to study the costs and benefits of distributed solar generation and net metering. The stakeholder group shall include representatives from public utilities, the solar industry, local governments, environmental advocacy groups, and academic institutions. The Director of the Department of Environmental Quality and the Director of the Department of Mines, Minerals and Energy, or their designees, shall serve as co-chairmen of the stakeholder group. In conducting its study, the stakeholder group shall examine data relevant to determining the costs and benefits of interconnected distributed solar generation, recommend a method for evaluating such data, and consider other issues as it may deem appropriate. Technical assistance shall be provided by the State Corporation Commission. All agencies of the Commonwealth shall provide assistance to the stakeholder group for this study, upon request. The stakeholder group shall complete its meetings for the first year by November 30, 2014, and for the second year by November 30, 2015, and the Directors of the Department of Environmental Quality and the Department of Mines, Minerals and Energy shall jointly submit to the Governor and the General Assembly an executive summary and report of its findings and recommendations for publication as a Senate document for each year. The executive summaries and reports shall be submitted as provided in the procedures of the Division of Legislative Automated Systems for the processing of legislative documents and reports no later than the first day of the next Regular Session of the General Assembly and shall be posted on the General Assembly's website. |
