File No. 475

Senate, April 6, 2009

The Committee on Energy and Technology reported through SEN. FONFARA, J. of the 1st Dist., Chairperson of the Committee on the part of the Senate, that the substitute bill ought to pass.

AN ACT REDEFINING CLASS I RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Assembly convened:

Section 1. Subdivision (26) of subsection (a) of section 16-1 of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from passage):

(26) "Class I renewable energy source" means (A) energy derived from (i) solar power, wind power, a fuel cell, methane gas from landfills, ocean thermal power, wave or tidal power, (ii) clean Class A or Class B biosolids, as referenced in 40 CFR 503, through gasification at a Connecticut facility, (iii) low emission advanced renewable energy conversion technologies, (iv) a run-of-the-river hydropower facility provided such facility has a generating capacity of not more than five megawatts, does not cause an appreciable change in the river flow, and began operation after July 1, 2003, or (v) a sustainable biomass facility with an average emission rate of equal to or less than .075 pounds of nitrogen oxides per million BTU of heat input for the previous calendar quarter, except that energy derived from a sustainable biomass facility with a capacity of less than five hundred kilowatts that began construction before July 1, 2003, may be considered a Class I renewable energy source, [or] (B) any electrical generation, including distributed generation, generated from a Class I renewable energy source, or (C) incremental energy resulting from increased capacity of ten megawatts or less of efficiency improvements at hydroelectric facilities operational on or before the effective date of this section that meet the standards of the Low Impact Hydropower Institute.

Statement of Legislative Commissioners:

"As defined in" was changed to "as referenced in" for accuracy and subparagraph (A) was divided into clauses for clarity.

The following fiscal impact statement and bill analysis are prepared for the benefit of members of the General Assembly, solely for the purpose of information, summarization, and explanation, and do not represent the intent of the General Assembly or either House thereof for any purpose:

OFA Fiscal Note

State Impact: None

Municipal Impact: None

Explanation

There is no anticipated fiscal impact associated with this bill.

The Out Years

None

OLR Bill Analysis

sSB 1103

AN ACT REDEFINING CLASS I RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES.

SUMMARY:

By law, electric companies and competitive electric suppliers must get part of their power from Class I renewable resources such as solar and wind power. This bill expands this class to include (1) gas produced from biosolids, as referenced in federal regulation (40 CFR § 503), and (2) the additional energy produced by efficiency improvements at certain hydroelectric facilities.

To be eligible under the first category, the gas must be produced at a Connecticut facility from clean class A or Class B biosolids. Biosolids are treated sewage sludge, with the classification depending on the amount of pathogens present.

To be eligible under the second category, the energy must be produced from increased capacity of 10 megawatts or less from efficiency improvements at hydroelectric facilities operating on or before the bill's passage that meet the standards of the Low Impact Hydropower Institute. The institute is a nonprofit organization that operates a certification program to help identify and reward (through market incentives) hydropower dams that minimize their environmental impact.

EFFECTIVE DATE: Upon passage

COMMITTEE ACTION

Energy and Technology Committee

Joint Favorable Substitute