1.1                          A bill for an act 
  1.2             relating to energy; providing that biomass facilities 
  1.3             are eligible for renewable energy production 
  1.4             incentive; amending Minnesota Statutes 2003 
  1.5             Supplement, section 116C.779, subdivision 2. 
  1.6   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.7      Section 1.  Minnesota Statutes 2003 Supplement, section 
  1.8   116C.779, subdivision 2, is amended to read: 
  1.9      Subd. 2.  [RENEWABLE ENERGY PRODUCTION INCENTIVE.] (a) 
  1.10  Until January 1, 2018, up to $6,000,000 annually must be 
  1.11  allocated from available funds in the account to fund renewable 
  1.12  energy production incentives.  $4,500,000 of this annual amount 
  1.13  is for incentives for up to 100 megawatts of electricity 
  1.14  generated by wind energy conversion systems that are eligible 
  1.15  for the incentives under section 216C.41.  The balance of this 
  1.16  amount, up to $1,500,000 annually, may be used for production 
  1.17  incentives for on-farm biogas recovery facilities that are 
  1.18  eligible for the incentive under section 216C.41 or for 
  1.19  production incentives for other renewables, including biomass 
  1.20  facilities, to be provided in the same manner as under section 
  1.21  216C.41.  Any portion of the $6,000,000 not expended in any 
  1.22  calendar year for the incentive is available for other spending 
  1.23  purposes under this section.  This subdivision does not create 
  1.24  an obligation to contribute funds to the account.  
  1.25     (b) The Department of Commerce shall determine eligibility 
  2.1   of projects under section 216C.41 for the purposes of this 
  2.2   subdivision.  At least quarterly, the Department of Commerce 
  2.3   shall notify the public utility of the name and address of each 
  2.4   eligible project owner and the amount due to each project under 
  2.5   section 216C.41.  The public utility shall make payments within 
  2.6   15 working days after receipt of notification of payments due.