SF 1423

as introduced - 91st Legislature (2019 - 2020) Posted on 02/18/2019 03:22pm

A bill for an act
relating to energy; amending a utility's solar energy incentive program; amending
Minnesota Statutes 2018, section 116C.7792.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2018, section 116C.7792, is amended to read:

116C.7792 SOLAR ENERGY INCENTIVE PROGRAM.

The utility subject to section 116C.779 shall operate a program to provide solar energy
production incentives for solar energy systems of no more than a total aggregate nameplate
capacity of 40 kilowatts deleted text begin direct deleted text end new text begin alternating new text end current per premise. The owner of a solar energy
system installed before June 1, 2018, is eligible to receive a production incentive under this
section for any additional solar energy systems constructed at the same customer location,
provided that the aggregate capacity of all systems at the customer location does not exceed
40 kilowatts. The program shall be operated for deleted text begin eight deleted text end new text begin nine new text end consecutive calendar years
commencing in 2014. $5,000,000 shall be allocated in each of the first four years,
$15,000,000 deleted text begin in deleted text end new text begin each year from new text end the fifth year deleted text begin , $10,000,000 in each of the sixth and seventh
years deleted text end new text begin through the eighth year new text end , and $5,000,000 in the deleted text begin eighth deleted text end new text begin ninth new text end year from funds withheld
from transfer to the renewable development account under section 116C.779, subdivision
1, paragraphs (b) and (e), and placed in a separate account for the purpose of the solar
production incentive program operated by the utility and not for any other program or
purpose. Any unspent amount allocated in the fifth year is available until December 31 of
the sixth year. Any unspent amount remaining at the end of any other allocation year must
be transferred to the renewable development account. The solar system must be sized to
less than 120 percent of the customer's on-site annual energy consumption when combined
with other distributed generation resources and subscriptions provided under section
216B.1641 associated with the premise. The production incentive must be paid for ten years
commencing with the commissioning of the system. The utility must file a plan to operate
the program with the commissioner of commerce. The utility may not operate the program
until it is approved by the commissioner. A change to the program to include projects up
to a nameplate capacity of 40 kilowatts or less does not require the utility to file a plan with
the commissioner. Any plan approved by the commissioner of commerce must not provide
an increased incentive scale over prior years unless the commissioner demonstrates that
changes in the market for solar energy facilities require an increase.

new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end

new text begin This section is effective the day following final enactment.
new text end