2E Relating to energy and promoting renewable energy

ARTICLE 1 - STATE ENERGY POLICY

Providing a planning strategy for a sustainable energy future; requiring the legislative energy commission, in consultation with the commissioner of commerce, to develop a framework for the state to transition to a renewable energy economy that ends Minnesota's contribution to greenhouse gases from burning fossil fuels over the next few decades; requiring a legislative report; requiring the commissioner of commerce, in consultation with the legislative energy commission, shall develop the scope for a Minnesota energy future study on how Minnesota can achieve a sustainable energy system that does not rely on burning fossil fuels

ARTICLE 2 - DISTRIBUTED GENERATION; SOLAR STANDARD

Relating to cogeneration and small power production; defining and redefining certain terms; modifying provisions governing net metered systems and aggregation of meters; prohibiting limits on cumulative generation; establishing certain limitations of the total generation capacity of individual distributed generation systems; authorizing rulemaking; allowing an alternative tariff, under certain conditions, to compensate customers through a bill credit mechanism for the value to the utility, customers, and society for operating distributed solar photovoltaic resources interconnected to the utility system and operated by customers primarily for meeting their own energy needs; establishing the community solar garden program; establishing a solar electricity standard for public utilities, defining public utility and total retail electric sales, providing regulations for use of integrated resource planning process, utility plans filed with commission, renewable energy credits, compliance requirements, and penalties; requiring a study to discuss the role of solar energy as a generation resource for associations and municipal utilities

ARTICLE 3 - MADE IN MINNESOTA

Establishing the "Made in Minnesota" solar energy production incentive; defining solar photovoltaic module; creating and allocating funds to the "Made in Minnesota" solar energy production incentive account; specifying application process for manufacturers of solar photovoltaic modules to qualify for the incentive; specifying certain eligibility and process for certain payments to owners of solar photovoltaic modules; authorizing a study of costs and benefits of installing utility managed energy storage modules in residential and commercial buildings; authorizing a study regarding the costs and benefits of expanding the installation of solar thermal projects; requiring the commissioner of commerce to contract with and independent consultant to produce a report analyzing the potential costs and benefits of expanding the installation of solar thermal projects

ARTICLE 4 - TRANSMISSION COST RECOVERY

Specifying conditions and procedures for transmission cost recovery adjustments for certain eligible new transmission facilities in utility proceedings by the public utilities commission (PUC)

ARTICLE 5 - CERTS FUNDING

Requiring the commissioner of commerce to assess for a grant to the partnership to fund clean energy resources teams community-based energy program activities

ARTICLE 6 - ENERGY POLICY AMENDMENT

Expanding public utilities commission (PUC) and commerce department energy conservation and savings policy goals; specifying department of commerce division of energy resources interim activity meeting
requirements

ARTICLE 7 - EMISSION REDUCTION COST RECOVERY

Allowing the public utility emission reduction rate rider for certain projects installed on existing large electric generating power plants located outside the state; modifying certain provisions relating to emission reduction riders qualifying projects and exemptions; modifying environmental project advance determination of prudence cost recovery and regulating rate of return on investment in the rider

ARTICLE 8 - STATE BUILDINGS GUARANTEED ENERGY SAVINGS PROGRAM

Authorizing the commissioner of administration to extend the term of a guaranteed energy savings agreement

ARTICLE 9 - INTEGRATED RESOURCE PLANNING

Expanding certain factors for preference for a renewable energy facility determinations in an integrated resources plan by the commission

ARTICLE 10 - RENEWABLE INTEGRATION STUDY

Requiring the Minnesota electric utilities to jointly contract with an independent contractor selected by the commissioner of commerce and to complete the renewable integration study work under the direction of the commissioner of commerce; requiring the commissioner to appoint a technical review committee prior to the start of the study; requiring a report

ARTICLE 11 - GAS UTILITY INFRASTRUCTURE COSTS

Modifying gas utility infrastructure cost recovery; modifying certain definitions and gas infrastructure filing requirements; establishing a gas infrastructure project plan report and review; establishing a cost recovery petition process for utilities facilities; specifying rate of return on investment requirements; requiring certain action by the public utilities commission; extending the expiration date of repayment of loans made by a city to a commercial or residential owner to install conservation investments or renewable energy devices; repealing a certain provision relating to recovery of certain greenhouse gas infrastructure costs

ARTICLE 12 - PACE

Defining cost effective energy improvements; modifying certain definitions related to local government energy improvement programs; modifying and clarifying certain provisions relating to payment of special assessments of energy improvement financing programs

ARTICLE 13 - WASTE HEAT RECOVERY

Modifying the definition of energy conservation improvement by adding waste heat recovered and used as thermal energy; defining waste heat recovered and used as thermal energy; permitting displaced gas or electric energy to be counted toward savings goals

ARTICLE 14 - SOLAR ENERGY PRODUCTION INCENTIVE PROGRAM

Requiring certain utilities operate a program to provide solar energy production incentives for certain solar energy systems

ARTICLE 15 - STUDY OF INDUSTRIAL ENERGY EFFICIENCY

Authorizing the legislative energy commission to study and report to the legislature on how best to increase the competitiveness of the paper, pulp, mining, foundry and steel industries in the state through cost-effective energy efficiency

ARTICLE 16 - APPROPRIATIONS

Appropriating money to the commissioner of commerce and to the public utilities commission for carrying out certain activities required in this act
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