SB 710

Abstract

Distributed renewable energy. Promotes the establishment of distributed renewable solar and other renewable energy. The measure (i) requires the State Corporation Commission to establish by regulation a shared solar program that allows multifamily customers of investor-owned utilities, other than American Electric Power, to purchase electric power through a subscription in a shared solar facility; (ii) raises the cap on the total amount of renewable energy that can be net metered in a utility's service territory from one percent to six percent, five percent of which is available to all customers and one percent of which is available only to low-income utility customers; (iii) raises the cap for net-metered nonresidential generation facilities from one megawatt to three megawatts; (iv) allows certain localities to install solar or wind facilities of up to five megawatts on government-owned property and use the electricity for government-owned buildings; (v) increases the cap on the capacity of generation from facilities from the customer's expected annual energy consumption to 150 percent of such amount for customers in Dominion Energy Virginia's service territory; (vi) prohibits standby charges for any residential customer-generator or agricultural customer-generator of an investor-owned utility other than Dominion Energy Virginia; and (vii) increases the cap on third party power purchase agreements to 500 megawatts for jurisdictional customers and 500 megawatts for nonjurisdictional customers of Dominion Energy Virginia and to 40 megawatts for customers of American Electric Power. The measure also amends the Commonwealth Energy Policy to include provisions supporting distributed generation of renewable energy. This bill is identical to HB 572, HB 1184, and HB 1647.

Distributed renewable energy. Promotes the establishment of distributed renewable solar and other renewable energy. The measure (i) increases from one percent to six percent the systemwide cap on the total amount of renewable energy that can be net metered in a utility's service territory, (ii) authorizes third-party power purchase agreements for all customers of investor-owned utilities, (iii) removes the restriction on customers installing a net-metered generation facility larger than that required to meet their previous 12 months' demand, (iv) raises the cap for net-metered nonresidential generation facilities from one megawatt to three megawatts, and (vi) removes the ability of a Phase I Utility to assess standby charges. The measure also amends the Commonwealth Energy Policy to include provisions supporting distributed generation of renewable energy.

Distributed renewable energy. Promotes the establishment of distributed renewable solar and other renewableenergy. The measure (i) increases from one percent to 10 percentthe systemwide cap on the total amount of renewable energy that canbe net metered in a utility's service territory, (ii) authorizesthird-party power purchase agreements for all customer classes throughoutthe Commonwealth, (iii) allows local governments and certain otherpublic bodies to install solar or wind facilities of up to five megawattson government-owned property and use the electricity for government-ownedbuildings, (iv) allows all net metering customers to attribute outputfrom a single solar array to multiple meters, (v) allows the ownerof a multifamily residential building or the common areas of a condominiumto install a renewable energy generation facility and sell the electricityto tenants or condominium unit owners, (vi) removes the restrictionon customers installing a net-metered generation facility largerthan that required to meet their previous 12 months' demand, (vii) raises the cap for net-metered nonresidential generation facilitiesfrom one megawatt to three megawatts, and (viii) removes the abilityof utilities to assess standby charges. The measure also amends the Commonwealth Energy Policy to include provisions supporting distributed generation of renewable energy.