Legislative Session number- 86

Bill Name: SF0550

3E Relating to energy; allocating money from the renewable development account
to fund a grant to the board of regents of the University of Minnesota for the
initiative for renewable energy and the environment, specifying certain
activities funded under this grant, defining certain terms; modifying certain
awards relating to the use of eminent domain for high-voltage transmission
lines; authorizing certain audio electronic records or use of a hearing reporter
to record proceedings before the public utilities commission (PUC); modifying
provisions relating to the deadline for rate determinations by the public
utilities commission (PUC); requiring the public utilities commission (PUC) to
adopt any mechanism to satisfy the energy conservation improvement incentive
plan; providing a central corridor utility zone cost adjustment; requiring
certain utilities with renewable energy objectives to file a standardized
contract with the public utilities commission (PUC); requiring public utilities
commission (PUC) petition for cost recovery eligibility prior to cost recovery
request, allowing approval for advance research and storage devices; modifying
certain provisions relating to renewable and high-efficiency energy rate
options; expanding the renewable energy standard technology options to include
the option of using solar energy conversion systems; authorizing the public
utilities commission (PUC) to order refunds of unlawful utility rate revenues
charged by a public utility, telephone company or a telecommunications carrier;
allowing certain penalty authority for the conduct by an exercising authority;
modifying energy-savings goals for energy conservation improvement expenditures
by power companies, allowing carry forward of excess energy savings by a utility
or association under certain conditions; permitting natural gas utilities to
include in its conservation plan purchases of biomethane; requiring utility
design assistance program to consider strategic tree and shrub planting around
buildings as an energy conservation strategy; modifying certain generation
project limitations for qualifying solar energy project installations; modifying
the definition of qualifying solar electric project to include energy storage
equipment and to include installation in publicly owned buildings; prescribing
procedures for the public utilities commission (PUC) to establish decoupling
criteria; requiring public utilities to agree to amend biomass power purchase
agreements approved by the public utilities commission (PUC); removing the
certificate of need exemption for large energy facilities generating electricity
from wind energy conversion systems (WECS); requiring the public utilities
commission (PUC) to consider certain factors for renewable energy standard
facilities wind energy conversion system (WECS) or solar electric generation
facilities meeting obligations; establishing the audit investigation account in
the special revenue fund in the state treasury, instructing the commerce
department and public utilities commission (PUC) to estimate expenditures of the
audit investigation account a certain number of days before each quarter;
requiring commissioner of commerce to submit a written report to the legislature
describing what electric transmission infrastructure is needed over a certain
time period; requiring commissioners of commerce and pollution control agency
(PCA) to include proposals regarding the use of solar and biomass resources in
producing thermal energy; authorizing department of commerce renewable energy
production incentive payment to certain eligible wind energy conversion (WECS)
systems; allowing commissioner of commerce to approve natural gas utilities
interim energy savings plans; requiring the PUC to conduct a study of automatic
cost-recovery mechanisms and alternative forms of utility rate regulation;
authorizing the Mountain Iron economic development authority to form or become a
member of a limited liability company for the purpose of developing a
community-based wind energy development project; instructing solar cities
Minneapolis and St. Paul to submit a report to the co-chairs of the legislative
energy commission recommending strategies to accelerate the rate of solar
thermal and solar electric installations in all building types throughout the
state; canceling an appropriation to commissioner of commerce for cost-share
grants to fund renewable energy research; appropriating money to commissioner of
commerce for a onetime grant to the biobusiness alliance of Minnesota for
bioscience business development programs to promote Minnesota as a state leader
in bioscience business activities; providing a revisor of statutes
instruction
(me)