1.1                          A bill for an act 
  1.2             relating to renewable energy; authorizing renewable 
  1.3             production incentives for an additional 100 megawatts 
  1.4             of small wind energy facilities; amending Minnesota 
  1.5             Statutes 2003 Supplement, sections 116C.779, 
  1.6             subdivision 2; 216C.41, subdivision 5a. 
  1.7   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.8      Section 1.  Minnesota Statutes 2003 Supplement, section 
  1.9   116C.779, subdivision 2, is amended to read: 
  1.10     Subd. 2.  [RENEWABLE ENERGY PRODUCTION INCENTIVE.] (a) 
  1.11  Until January 1, 2018, up to $6,000,000 $10,500,000 annually 
  1.12  must be allocated from available funds in the account to fund 
  1.13  renewable energy production incentives.  $4,500,000 $9,000,000 
  1.14  of this annual amount is for incentives for up to 100 200 
  1.15  megawatts of electricity generated by wind energy conversion 
  1.16  systems that are eligible for the incentives under section 
  1.17  216C.41.  The balance of this amount, up to $1,500,000 annually, 
  1.18  may be used for production incentives for on-farm biogas 
  1.19  recovery facilities that are eligible for the incentive under 
  1.20  section 216C.41 or for production incentives for other 
  1.21  renewables, to be provided in the same manner as under section 
  1.22  216C.41.  Any portion of the $6,000,000 $10,500,000 not expended 
  1.23  in any calendar year for the incentive is available for other 
  1.24  spending purposes under this section.  This subdivision does not 
  1.25  create an obligation to contribute funds to the account.  
  1.26     (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. 
  2.7      Sec. 2.  Minnesota Statutes 2003 Supplement, section 
  2.8   216C.41, subdivision 5a, is amended to read: 
  2.9      Subd. 5a.  [RENEWABLE DEVELOPMENT ACCOUNT.] The Department 
  2.10  of Commerce shall authorize payment of the renewable energy 
  2.11  production incentive to wind energy conversion systems for 100 
  2.12  200 megawatts of nameplate capacity in addition to the capacity 
  2.13  authorized under subdivision 5 and to on-farm biogas recovery 
  2.14  facilities.  Payment of the incentive shall be made from the 
  2.15  renewable energy development account as provided under section 
  2.16  116C.779, subdivision 2.