From:                                         Sustainable Energy Advantage, LLC <sea-deliverables@seadvantage.com>

Sent:                                           Friday, February 5, 2021 3:15 PM

To:                                               Bob Grace

Subject:                                     SEA New England Eyes & Ears Special Flash No. 86.6.2, February 5, 2021

 

New England Eyes & Ears Special Flash No. 86.6.2, February 5, 2021

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Connecticut

Maine

New Hampshire

 


Connecticut

Joint E&T Committee to hold meeting on February 9 on potential bills related to renewable energy

On February 4, 2021, the Joint Energy and Technology (E&T) Committee announced that it will hold a meeting on February 9 at 11:00 am. The meeting will be streamed both on YouTube Live and CT-N.

The E&T Committee will discuss the following concepts that may be related to renewable energy to be drafted as Raised Bills:

§  An Act Concerning Distributed Energy Generation

§  An Act Concerning Solar Solicitation

§  An Act Requiring The Study of Energy Sources

§  An Act Removing The Property Tax Exemption and Reclassifying The Tax Calculation For Solar Projects

§  An Act Expanding Virtual Net Metering To Manufacturers in Distressed Municipalities

§  An Act Increasing The Percentage of Total Output Attributed To Class III Sources

In addition, the E&T Committee will discuss the following proposed bills to be referred to other Committees:

§  HB 5639 - An Act Concerning The Approval Process for Anaerobic Digesters: The bill, if enacted, would streamline the approval process for anaerobic digestors, "including issuance of single permits approved within one week." The E&T Committee plans to refer it to the Environment Committee.

§  HB 5834 - An Act Creating A Task Force To Evaluate Residential Impacts of Connecticut Siting Council Decisions: The bill, if enacted, would create a task force to "evaluate the residential impacts of Connecticut Siting Council decisions." The E&T Committee plans to refer it to the Environment Committee.

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Maine

ENR, EUT Committees to hold February 8 and 9 confirmation hearings for Efficiency Maine Trust Board and DEP appointees on February 8 and 9, respectively

The Joint Environment and Natural Resources Committee is holding a confirmation hearing on February 8, 2021, at 1:00 PM to consider the appointment of Melanie Loyzim by Gov. Janet Mills as Commissioner of the Department of Environmental Protection (see Flash Update 86.6). The hearing will be available for viewing here.

In addition, the Joint Energy, Utilities, and Technology Committee is holding a confirmation hearing on February 9, 2021, at 9:00 AM to consider the following appointments by Gov. Mills to the Board of the Efficiency Maine Trust:

§  Suzanne MacDonald (in her case, for reappointment);

§  Mark Isaacson; and

§  Kenneth A. Colburn

The hearing will be available for viewing here.

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New Hampshire

House STE Committee to hear various bills relevant to renewable energy on February 8 and 12; House Municipal and County Government committee to hear bill February 9

The House Science, Technology, and Energy (STE) Committee will hold hearings on February 8 and 12 to consider the following bills relevant to renewable energy:

February 8, 2021

§  HB 168-FN - An Act Requiring The Adoption Of Innovative Vehicle Emissions Standards Pursuant To Section 177 Of The Federal Clean Air Act. (Virtual Hearing - 10:00 am)

§  HB 289 - An Act Relative To Including Electrical Storage Facilities In The Definition Of Energy Facility (Virtual Hearing - 1:30 am)

§  HB 309 - An Act Relative To The Computation Of Renewable Energy Credits (Virtual Hearing - 3:00 pm)

§  HB 373 - An Act Relative To State Participation In Low Carbon Fuel Standards Programs. (Virtual Hearing - 4:00 pm)

February 12, 2021

§  HB 172 - An Act Establishing Greenhouse Gas Emission Reduction Goals For The State And Establishing A Climate Action Plan. (Virtual Hearing - 9:00 am)

§  HB 396 - An Act Relative To Credits For Certain Energy Production Not Issued Renewable Energy Certificates (Virtual Hearing - 11:00 am). The bill, if enacted, would end the practice of "REC Sweeping", in which production from net metered DG that does not generate Class I or II RECs are credited to utilities for use in fulfilling their RPS obligations. In addition, the bill would require that the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) publish its yearly production estimates for net metered DG in cases when Class I or II RECs are not issued.

§  HB 213 - An Act Relative To The Elimination Of Useful Thermal Energy From Renewable Energy Classes. (Virtual Hearing - 2:00 pm) The bill, if enacted, would:

§  Eliminate the useful thermal and biomass electric classes of the RPS;

§  Reduce the Class I (new renewable energy) RPS requirement for 2025 and thereafter from 15% to 6%;

§  Reduce the Class II (new solar energy) RPS requirement for 2025 and thereafter from .7% to .3%; and

§  Reduce the Class III (existing biomass/methane) RPS requirement for 2025 and thereafter from 8% to 1%.

§  HB 399 - An Act Relative To The Energy Consumption Reduction Goal (Virtual Hearing - 1:00 pm).

§  HB 315 - An Act Relative To The Aggregation Of Electric Customers. (Virtual Hearing - 3:00 pm) The bill, if enacted, would revise the regulations governing municipal aggregation programs. Specifically, the bill would:

§  Allow for community aggregation programs to enroll customers on an opt-out basis for customers enrolled in default service, and opt-in for customers using an energy service from a competitive electricity supplier;

§  Prevent aggregators from participating in the wholesale market as a load serving entity for the purpose of procuring or selling electrical energy or capacity on behalf of its participating retail electric customers. In effect, this would result in aggregators acting as a broker for the purchase of electricity from an LSE, similar to the model used in states like Massachusetts;

§  Institute Public Utility Commission oversight over plans for aggregation programs;

§  Remove requirements that aggregation plans must consider how net metered electricity will be compensated and accounted for; and

§  Restrict customer data available to aggregators.

The House Municipal and County Government committee will hold a hearing on February 9 hearing to consider the following bill relevant to renewable energy:

§  HB 64 - An Act Relative To Renewable Generation Facility Property Subject To A Voluntary Payment In Lieu Of Taxes Agreement. (10:00 am)

 

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Best regards,

The SEA Team

 

 

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Description automatically generatedSustainable Energy Advantage, LLC

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