HF 1852

1st Committee Engrossment - 86th Legislature (2009 - 2010) Posted on 03/19/2013 07:29pm

1.1A bill for an act

1.2relating to energy; extending period during which renewable energy payment
1.3incentives may be paid; directing payments to other projects from projects
1.4whose eligibility to receive payments expires; appropriating money for incentive
1.5payments;amending Minnesota Statutes 2008, sections 116C.779, subdivision
1.62; 216C.41, subdivision 5a.
1.7BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.8    Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2008, section 116C.779, subdivision 2, is amended to
1.9read:
1.10    Subd. 2. Renewable energy production incentive. (a) Until January 1, 2018 2021,
1.11up to $10,900,000 annually must be allocated from available funds in the account to
1.12fund renewable energy production incentives. $9,400,000 of this annual amount is for
1.13incentives for up to 200 megawatts of electricity generated by wind energy conversion
1.14systems that are eligible for the incentives under section 216C.41 or Laws 2005, chapter
1.1540.
1.16(b) The balance of this amount, up to $1,500,000 annually, may be used for
1.17production incentives for on-farm biogas recovery facilities and hydroelectric facilities
1.18that are eligible for the incentive under section 216C.41 or for production incentives for
1.19other renewables, to be provided in the same manner as under section 216C.41.
1.20(c) Any funds allocated to incentive payments for wind energy conversion systems
1.21under paragraph (a) that are not expended for that purpose must be allocated to incentive
1.22payments under paragraph (b) if necessary to fully pay eligible claims for incentive
1.23payments to qualified on-farm biogas recovery facilities and hydroelectric facilities.
1.24(d) If funds allocated in calendar year 2010 under paragraphs (b) and (c) are
1.25insufficient to fully pay eligible claims for incentive payments to qualified on-farm biogas
2.1recovery facilities and hydroelectric facilities, up to $500,000 of additional funds in the
2.2renewable development account must be allocated to make up the insufficiency.
2.3(e) Any portion of the $10,900,000 not expended in any calendar year for the
2.4incentive is available for other spending purposes under this section. This subdivision
2.5does not create an obligation to contribute funds to the account.
2.6(b) (f) The Department of Commerce shall determine eligibility of projects under
2.7section 216C.41 for the purposes of this subdivision. At least quarterly, the Department of
2.8Commerce shall notify the public utility of the name and address of each eligible project
2.9owner and the amount due to each project under section 216C.41. The public utility shall
2.10make payments within 15 working days after receipt of notification of payments due.

2.11    Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2008, section 216C.41, subdivision 5a, is amended to read:
2.12    Subd. 5a. Renewable development account. The Department of Commerce
2.13shall authorize payment of the renewable energy production incentive to wind energy
2.14conversion systems for 200 megawatts of nameplate capacity and that are eligible under
2.15section 216C.41 or Laws 2005, chapter 40, to on-farm biogas recovery facilities, and to
2.16hydroelectric facilities. Payment of the incentive shall be made from the renewable energy
2.17development account as provided under section 116C.779, subdivision 2.