Posts Tagged ‘National RES’

Senators Introduce Renewable Electricity Standard

Posted October 20th, 2010 by SRECTrade.

At the end of September, Senators Jeff Bingaman, Sam Brownback, Byron Dorgan, Susan Collins, Tom Udall, and Mark Udall introduced a Renewable Electricity Standard (RES). The bill will require electricity generators to acquire specific percentages of electricity supplied to customers from renewable energy sources.

Senator Bingaman commented, “I think that the votes are present in the Senate to pass a renewable electricity standard.  I think that they are present in the House.  I think that we need to get on with figuring out what we can pass and move forward.”

The legislation proposes the following targets to be met from either renewable energy resources or energy efficiency improvements:

YEAR  __                 %

2012-2013…….……..3

2014-2016…….……. 6

2017-2018…….……. 9

2019-2020………… 12

2021-2039………… 15

Eligible renewable energy resources will include wind, solar, ocean, geothermal, biomass, landfill gas, incremental hydropower, hydrokinetic, new hydropower at existing dams and waste-to-energy. Energy providers can comply with the RES by producing renewable energy, implementing energy efficiency measures, purchasing renewable energy or energy efficiency savings, purchasing renewable energy credits or energy efficiency credits, or paying an alternative compliance payment (ACP) at a rate of $21/MWh. The national RES program will not affect state programs.

Click here for the entire press release.

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U.S. Senators Push Renewable Electricity Standard (RES)

Posted August 13th, 2010 by SRECTrade.

There have been several groups lobbying for the inclusion of a Renewable Electricity Standard (RES) in the Senate’s energy legislation.  In addition to several senators, a coalition led by several trade groups and forward thinking utilities have written a letter to Senator Reid.

According to E&E News, more than half of the U.S. Senate’s Democrats have signed a letter urging Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid to include a national RES in any energy legislation that comes to the floor this summer. The senators indicated that they are willing to work together to facilitate the passage of a strong RES.

In addition to the Democrats, some Republicans have demonstrated that they want to support the passage of a national RES. Initial indications have shown that the legislation could require utilities to produce up to 15% of their power from renewable sources. Some Democrats have stated they would like this number to be at least 20% and would prefer to see something in the range of 25%.

The House-passed climate and energy bill sets a combined 20 percent renewable electricity and efficiency standard by 2020.

You can find the full letter here.