Agricultural-customer generators, eligible; renewable energy incentives through net metering, etc. (HB1695)

Introduced By

Del. Randy Minchew (R-Leesburg) with support from 13 copatrons, whose average partisan position is:

Those copatrons are Del. Bob Brink (D-Arlington), Del. David Bulova (D-Fairfax), Del. Patrick Hope (D-Arlington), Del. Mark Keam (D-Vienna), Del. Terry Kilgore (R-Gate City), Del. Kaye Kory (D-Falls Church), Del. Rob Krupicka (D-Alexandria), Del. Alfonso Lopez (D-Arlington), Del. Ken Plum (D-Reston), Del. Jim Scott (D-Merrifield), Del. David Toscano (D-Charlottesville), Del. Vivian Watts (D-Annandale), Sen. Scott Surovell (D-Mount Vernon)

Progress

Introduced
Passed Committee
Passed House
Passed Senate
Signed by Governor
Became Law

Description

Renewable energy; community and agricultural net metering; renewable energy certificates. Requires the State Corporation Commission to establish net energy metering programs for eligible agricultural customers and eligible community customers. Agricultural net metering will allow a customer that operates a renewable energy generating facility of up to one megawatt as part of an agricultural business to be served by multiple meters that are located at separate but contiguous sites, provided the generating facility is located on land owned or controlled by the agricultural business and is used to provide energy to metered accounts of the agricultural business. Community net metering will allow a group of residential, commercial, industrial, and other customers to establish an "eligible community customer" to act collectively to generate renewable energy for their own use. Members of an eligible community customer may develop a net metered system that provides that excess generation by some members of the group will be used to offset consumption by other members within the group. The generating capacity of an eligible community customer's facility shall not exceed one megawatt at a single site. If electricity generated by the generation facility or facilities of the eligible community or agricultural customers in a year exceeds the net electricity consumption by members of the group, the utility shall reduce the eligible community or agricultural customer's bill for the next monthly billing period by the amount of the excess. An eligible community or agricultural customer will be exempt from the requirement that he install two-way metering equipment if the electrical generating system from which the eligible community or agricultural customer obtains electricity is not physically attached to or an integral part of the building or structure where he consumes electricity, provided metering equipment measures the excess electricity from the generation facility. Eligible community and agricultural customers may be required to pay the supplier their pro rata share of certain capital or operational costs and may be subject to a monthly standby charge. The measure also requires the Commission to establish a process for issuing or recognizing renewable energy certificates. The process will provide for the issuance, monitoring, transferring, and use of renewable energy certificates. Read the Bill »

Outcome

Bill Has Passed

History

DateAction
01/07/2013Committee
01/07/2013Prefiled and ordered printed; offered 01/09/13 13103451D
01/07/2013Referred to Committee on Commerce and Labor
01/12/2013Impact statement from SCC (HB1695)
01/15/2013Assigned C & L sub: Special Subcommittee on Energy
01/29/2013Subcommittee recommends reporting with amendment(s) (9-Y 2-N)
01/31/2013Reported from Commerce and Labor with substitute (21-Y 0-N) (see vote tally)
01/31/2013Committee substitute printed 13104711D-H1
02/02/2013Read first time
02/04/2013Impact statement from SCC (HB1695H1)
02/04/2013Read second time
02/04/2013Committee substitute agreed to 13104711D-H1
02/04/2013Engrossed by House - committee substitute HB1695H1
02/05/2013Read third time and passed House (94-Y 3-N 2-A)
02/05/2013VOTE: PASSAGE (94-Y 3-N 2-A) (see vote tally)
02/06/2013Constitutional reading dispensed
02/06/2013Referred to Committee on Commerce and Labor
02/11/2013Reported from Commerce and Labor (15-Y 0-N) (see vote tally)
02/13/2013Constitutional reading dispensed (40-Y 0-N) (see vote tally)
02/14/2013Read third time
02/14/2013Passed Senate (40-Y 0-N) (see vote tally)
02/20/2013Enrolled
02/20/2013Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB1695ER)
02/20/2013Signed by Speaker
02/20/2013Signed by President
02/21/2013Impact statement from SCC (HB1695ER)
03/13/2013G Approved by Governor-Chapter 268 (effective 7/1/13)
03/13/2013G Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0268)

Video

This bill was discussed on the floor of the General Assembly. Below is all of the video that we have of that discussion, 2 clips in all, totaling 1 minute.

Comments

Waldo Jaquith writes:

Great, great bill. This is important legislation that I certainly hope passes.