Legislative Roundup on Energy from the New England States
By David L. O'Connor and G. Patrick Regan, JD Supra LLC.
On Thursday, September 10, The New England Clean Energy Council (NECEC) hosted its third annual Legislative Roundup. The event brought together clean energy advocates and technology developers from around the Northeast to discuss the region’s latest policies and their impact on residents, businesses, and other key entities. The panel presentation, moderated by NECEC President Peter Rothstein and NECEC VP of Policy and Government Affairs Janet Gail Besser, included Jeff Marks of E2Tech, Kate Epsen of the New Hampshire Sustainable Energy Association, Gabrielle Stebbins of Renewable Energy Vermont, as well as Dan Bosley and Sue AnderBois, both of NECEC. Read below for a look at the latest in regional energy policy trends:
Vermont: Stebbins’ presentation focused on the legislature’s passage of Act 56, which establishes a renewable portfolio standard and takes a three tiered approach to increasing the state’s renewable energy consumption. The first tier sets renewable energy credit (REC) ratio goals for renewably sourced retail electricity sales, mandating 55% by 2017, rising to 75% by 2032. Qualified renewable resources that already exist in Vermont are expected to provide for the initial 55% requirement, with new resources contributing to the increases over time. Tier two mandates an increase in utility electricity purchased from distributed generation (1% by 2017 and 10% by 2032), while tier three is an “energy innovation tier” that offers incentives for other improvements, including electric vehicles. With an RPS adopted, the state now focuses on possible net metering changes. Vermont’s public service board is currently developing regulations for the program.