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Renewable Tariffs and Standard Offer Contracts in the USA
Since the fall of 2007 numerous states have introduced bills into their state legislatures that, if enacted, would create Renewable Energy Sources Acts like those in Europe.
In addition, a bill as been introduced at the federal level in the House.
A number of states have have introduced programs patterned after Renewable Feed Laws in Europe. However, there are significant differences between true Renewable Tariffs and many of the Production-Based Incentive programs in the USA. For a brief discussion see Performance-Based Incentives or Renewable Tariffs for Photovoltaics in the USA.
- John Farrell: Bigger Subsidies Make Bigger Solar a Bad Bet--The German energy program plays off the popularity of local ownership, with their easy-to-use feed-in tariff allowing anyone to become a clean energy producer by offering a guaranteed, long-term contract at an attractive price. Half of their 53,000-megawatt renewable energy market is locally owned, making their clean energy policies nearly inviolate despite the (completely transparent) cost increase to German ratepayers. . .
- CAP: China Goes Solar as America Stumbles--And in August 2011 the National Development and Reform Commission launched a feed-in tariff for solar power generation. The new tariff sets benchmark prices for solar energy—minimum prices China’s grid operators must pay for solar power—and the tariff will soon be paired with clean energy quotas to guarantee market demand. These policies are already a strong first step toward providing a stable and attractive Chinese solar market. . .
- NRDC: Designing Policy to Sustain and Scale Distributed Clean Energy in the U.S.--One particular policy mechanism, broadly known as a Feed-in Tariff (FIT), has emerged as the most widely adopted platform to drive investment in clean energy technologies, especially solar photovoltaics (PV). The country most famous for originally designing and implementing a FIT is Germany. The German FIT, alongside a multi-faceted renewable policy strategy, has led to global leadership in solar PV and other renewable technology deployment in both generation and manufacturing capacity. . .
- Pew Trust: Who's Winning the Clean Energy Race?--Feed-in tariffs (FITs) are a policy mechanism used by local and national governments around the world to spur deployment of clean energy. Although they are novel in the United States, FITs have been effectively harnessed in Europe and other key markets. . .
- Center for American Progress: CLEAN Contracts: Making Clean Local Energy Accessible Now--The US' premier liberal think tank looks at the one policy that has helped to bring more renewable electricity into the marketplace than any other: the Clean Local Energy Accessible Now, or CLEAN, contract, also known as a “feed-in tariff.” These are national, state, or local policies that allow renewable energy project owners to sell their electricity to utilities at a predetermined, fixed price for a long period of time. . .
- League of Conservation Voters Navin Nayak on German FITs--Bolstered by strong public support, they decided to implement policies that would create a stable clean energy market in Germany. The most heralded policy was the so-called “feed-in tariff,” which is essentially a guaranteed clean energy credit. . . Indeed, given the current debates in the U.S., one of the most appealing aspects of Germany’s approach is that it doesn’t increase the size of government. The federal government establishes the rules of the road (or wires, as it were in this case) and then allows the market to work. . .
- NY Times: Power from on High--Introduced in 2000, and dubbed “Scheer’s Law,” the feed-in tariff enabled owners of a renewable energy system to sell the power they generate at attractive rates, and mandated utilities to buy it. This helped all renewable energy, but it particularly helped solar photovoltaic (PV) energy. . .
- Conservative Hoover Institution to Recommend Evaluating Feed-in Tariffs--In a striking illustration that support for feed-in tariffs comes from both the right and the left, both Republicans and Democrats, the Hoover Institution will recommend that the US "evaluate" the renewable energy policy. . .
- Paul Gipe presentation to GACC's Energy Forum, Washington, DC 14 October 2010
- It's Official: Ontario Third in North American 2009 Solar PV Capacity--Now in a Race for Second with New Jersey . . .The Canadian province pushed aside Florida with an installation of 46 MW of solar PV and was only behind New Jersey, 57 MW, and California with 212 MW according to a report by the Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC). . .
- CAP on New York Times Story on Portugal's Renewables Success--Yesterday’s New York Times article (“Portugal Gives Itself a Clean Energy Makeover”) on Portugal’s transition to a clean energy economy should be welcome news for renewable energy advocates. . . Portuguese officials didn’t mess around with low-level incentives and meaningless goals. Instead, they implemented the most successful renewable electricity incentive in the world: a feed-in tariff. . .
- NREL Issues Massive Feed-in Tariff Design Guide for US--"Feed-in tariffs (FITs) are the most widely used renewable energy policy in the world" says a massive report by a team of researchers at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). . .
- NARUC: Resolution Supporting State Authority to Adopt and Promote Feed-in-Tariff
Mechanisms for Renewable and Other Generation Technologies--That the Board of Directors of the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners . . . supports the ability of individual States to determine whether or not
the public utilities, under their jurisdiction, should be required to
. . . purchase power at prices established by State commissions (including prices set pursuant to State feed-in tariffs) in a manner consistent with federal law.
- US Breakthrough: State Solar Associations Call for Feed-in Tariffs--In a breakthrough for renewable energy advocates, state solar industry associations have jointly called for widespread adoption of feed-in tariffs in the US. . .
- WFC Grades North American Feed-in Tariff Programs--The World Future Council has issued a report grading North American feed-in tariffs for renewable energy. Only Ontario and Vermont make a passing grade. All other programs in the US and Canada failed to pass. . .
- World Future Council: Grading North American Feed-in Tariffs----How do existing North American feed-in tariff programs stand up to best practices worldwide? What programs are world-class?
What programs are laggards? What programs fail to make the grade
and are poor imitations of successful policies elsewhere?
These are all questions that need to be answered as policy makers
look for guidance on how to design programs that not only work,
but are also fair and equitable to ratepayers. . .
- San Francisco Feed-in Tariff Price-Setting Workshop with Bernard Chabot--Bernard Chabot will lead a feed-in tariff price-setting technical workshop on 13 July, 2010 in San Francisco, California. The workshop features an extensive technical discussion of the Profitability Index Method for calculating specific tariffs for solar and wind energy. . .
- Voice of America: US Considers European Approach to Energy Independence--Feed-in tariff program relies on funding from electricity users, not taxpayers . . .
- States Look to Feed-in Tariffs to Boost Renewable Energy by Matthew Berger, SolveClimate--California is often commended in renewable energy circles for its goal of getting 30 percent of its power from renewable sources by 2020. But the first stage of that goal - 20 percent by 2010 - has yet to be reached, and some experts say the state is simply running in place. . .
- Chabot Technical Workshops Program February 2010--Both the Lansing and Boston programs are identical. . .
- Chabot 2010 Price-Setting Workshops Advanced Preparation--One of the purposes of the workshops is to learn a technique for calculating the tariffs needed to cover the "cost of generation plus a reasonable profit" that is a hallmark of successful feed-in tariff programs. . .
- Energy Self-Reliant States--a Review--The report should put to rest the whiners who say we, the US, could never meet our electricity needs with renewables. Those of us specialized in one particular technology have always realized this was rubbish. Wind and solar abound as does geothermal in the Western States. . .
- Feed-in Tariff Price-Setting Technical Workshops with Bernard Chabot--These are advanced workshops intended only for those seriously interested in the economic theory behind tariff setting and the formulas necessary to calculate tariffs that pay for the cost of generation plus a reasonable profit. . .
- FITness Testing: Exploring the myths and misconceptions about feed-in tariff policies--The booklet published in January 2010, reviews common criticisms of feed-in tariffs (FITs). Discussion about FITs and other policies to boost renewable energies has grown considerably in the USA - this brochure explains how FITs work and what they can contribute to improve energy security, create new jobs, and address the growing risks of climate change. . .
- New York Times: Feed-In Tariff 2.0 by John Lorinc--Just months after starting, a more lucrative version of Ontario’s feed-in-tariff program has attracted thousands of renewable energy investors, additional evidence that this particular policy lever, pioneered in Germany, can stimulate rapid growth in decentralized green power resources. . .
- NW Energy Coalition Passes Resolution in Support of FITs--The Northwest Energy Coalition passed a resolution in support of feed-in tariffs at its annual conference on November 14, 2009 in Seattle, Washington. . .
- Vote Solar Doesn't Understand German FITs Says Author--"Vote Solar has probably never really understood FITs, and they get two things wrong here," says Craig Morris, author of Energy Switch: Proven Solutions for a Renewable Future. . .
- Renewable Energy Feed-in Tariffs: Lessons Learned from the U.S. and Abroad by Karlynn Cory, NREL
- Grist: Feed-in tariffs—the new school of thought by Craig Morris--As a boy growing up near the Louisiana Gulf Coast, I remember looking out of the car window at times and seeing gigantic flames over the bayous: gas flares. Around 1970, the flaring of natural gas peaked. Oil prices were so low back then that marketing gas would not have been profitable. . .
- National Journal: States Test Ways To Turn Consumers Into Producers by Emily Vaughn--Four states this year implemented feed-in tariffs, incentives that pay customers for the renewable energy they produce and "feed" back into electricity grids. Three did it for the first time, joining Washington state and California, which beefed up its law. . .
- Deutsche Bank: What Investors Want is Transparency, Longevity and Certainty-FITs--In a 36-page report issued in October, Deutsche Bank Climate Advisors identified feed-in tariffs as key tool to develop renewable energy on the scale needed. . .
- The Nation: Where's the Clean Energy? by Robert Eshelman--It was in Germany that Ed Regan realized Gainesville, Florida, was going about things all wrong. The assistant manager at Gainesville Regional Utility (GRU) was out looking for ways to boost his city's renewable energy capacity. "Germany was a game-changer," Regan says. Wind turbines and solar panels seemed to be everywhere. He soon learned the secret. . .
- Proposed Indiana (Midwest) Feed-in Tariffs 2009--The tariffs suggested are applicable throughout the Midwest and not solely to Indiana. The tariffs, or prices paid for renewable generation per kilowatt-hour, are based on my professional judgment of current best practice worldwide and best practice specifically in North America. . .
- America's Berlin Wall of Energy by Denis Du Bois--Germany's feed-in tariff is largely responsible for the country's dominant position in the global renewable-energy industry. The role of ratepayer in unified Germany is reversible. Independent producers of renewable energy can sell power back to utilities, and utilities are required to pay a favorable set rate. A solar energy industry has blossomed where division once blocked the way. . .
- New York Times: Worldwide Feed-in Tariffs Best for Investors By John Lorinc--Countries that adopt policies obliging utilities to purchase a percentage of their power from renewable sources at above-market prices also known as a “feed-in tariff” represent the safest harbors for investors looking to finance clean-energy ventures, according to a broad-ranging risk analysis released Monday by Deutsche Bank’s global asset management group and Columbia University’s Earth Institute. . .
- Solar Alliance Position Paper on Feed-in Tariffs--The Solar Alliance, the US industry trade association for solar PV manufacturers and project developers, has recently posted a position paper supportive of feed-in tariffs (FITs) to their web site. . .
- NYT: Have a Nice Day By Thomas L. Friedman--All but uses the words feed-in tariff to describe a necessary policy measure for the USA.
- North American Feed-in Tariff Policies Take Off by Ben Block, WorldWatch--Clean energy advocates in Europe have long considered the feed-in tariff as an antidote to the industrial world's fossil fuel dependency. Now, the United States and Canada are starting to catch on as well. . .
- Spreadsheet Analysis of Feed-in Tariff Program Costs--Feed-in tariff advocates must develop some understanding of the possible monetary costs associated with the policy simply because of the questions that are invariably raised--justified or not. . .
- New York Times: US House Will Get Another Shot at Feed-In Tariffs
- State Clean Energy Policies Analysis (SCEPA) Project: An Analysis of Renewable Energy Feed-in Tariffs in the United States by Karlynn Cory, Toby Couture, National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), May, 2009
- Presentation by Karlynn Cory, NREL, on Feed-in Tariffs in the USA: ASES' Solar 2009, Buffalo, NY
- Electricity Feed Laws: Fast Track to Renewable Energy Growth? by Paul Gipe, Solar Today, May-June 2009
- NREL Feed-in Tariff Policy: Design, Implementation, and RPS Policy Interactions by Karlynn Cory, Toby Couture, and Claire Kreycik, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, March, 2009
- Wind of Change: Enabling Power to the People by Carolyn Jack, Geniocity
- Should We Follow Germany's Lead On Renewables? by Bradford Plummer, The New Republic, on feed-in tariffs
- Clean Break: A new strategy could offer the best, and quickest, solution to global warming by Bradford Plummer, Audubon Magazine special feature on feed-in tariffs for the USA
- Critical Evaluation of the U.S. Renewable Energy Policy by Christian Paulus--We conclude that the German EEG policy does not promote many of the undesirable behaviors, which can occur as a result of the U.S. Policy directions. We recommend introducing feed – in tariffs into the U.S. energy legislation to further increase adoption of renewable energies. . .
- Feed-in Tariffs in America: Driving the Economy with Renewable Energy Policy that Works by John Farrell, ILSR
- Why Isn't the U.S. Embracing Feed-in Tariffs? by Dan Haugen
- FiTs in the USA by Craig Morris--Future U.S. policy may have begun on March 1 in Gainesville, Florida
– population 250,000. The local municipal utility company adopted feed-in rates based on the European model. . .
- States & Provinces Considering Feed-in Tariffs: 2009
- The Rooftop Revolution: A little-known policy is turning sleepy central Florida into a green energy hub. Could it do the same for America at large? By Mariah Blake, Washington Monthly
- Power Magazine: Feed-in tariff coming to America?
- National Audubon and Environmental Entrepreneurs Support Feed-in Tariffs
- Paul Gipe Presentation to Midwest Ag-Energy Summit December 15, 2008
- Paul Gipe Presentation to National Caucus of Environmental Legislators December 12, 2008
- Center for American Progress on Feed-in Tariffs
- Paul Gipe Presentation to Midwest Ag-Energy Web Conf, October 28, 2008
- Paul Gipe Presentation to WFC Feed-in Tariff Workshop San Diego, October 12, 2008 (9 mb)
- Allianced for Renewable Energy Launched: North American coalition promotes Renewable Energy Payments (REPs)
—the “World’s Most Effective Renewable Energy Policy”
- The Cost of Lost Opportunities: The Bailout, the War, and Renewable Energy
- Despite its damp climate, Germany has become the global leader in wind and solar power through a pioneering law. Now, Congress is weighing a similar bill. (Christian Science Monitor, August 20, 2008)
- Gore Calls for 100% Renewable Electricity in the US within 10 years
- Post Carbon Institute: Response to Gore's Call for 100% Renewable Power by 2018
- A Challenge Worthy of North America by Paul Gipe, WWEA Conference, opening plenary session, Kingston, Ontario, June 24, 2008
- Getting FIT by Welch (Home Power Magazine, June-July, 2008)
- Feed-in Tariffs and Renewable Energy in the USA-–a Policy Update by Wilson Rickerson, Florian Bennhold, and James Bradbury (May 2008)
- Renewable Energy in the U.S.: Sneaking in the Backdoor or Walking Through the Front? by Michael Hoexter, Ph.D. (A thoughtful but hard-hitting piece on how to more honestly and forthrightly support renewable energy development.)
- North American Renewable Tariffs Challenges & Opportunities, WWEA Feed-in Tariff Workshop, June 23, 2008, Kingston, Ontario
- WWEA Feed-in Tariff Workshop Opening Session Summary, June 23, 2008, Kingston, Ontario
- Feed-in Tariff Workshop Introduction by Paul Gipe, WWEA Conference, Kingston, Ontario
- McKibben Calls for National Feed-in Tariffs (Getting Connected: Why sharing electrons, local produce and Radiohead makes for better communities by Bill McKibben)
- The Missing Piece in Climate Policy: Renewable Heat and Cooling in Germany and the U.S. (2008) (Note pages 47-52 on the use of the "Bonus Model" or feed-in tariffs)
- U.S. State Solar Debate: Will SRECs Create Unhealthy Market Concentration? by Stephen Lacey, Renewable Energy World
- Advanced Renewable Tariffs: New Policy Option for North America, ASES Solar 2008, San Diego
- Status of the Feed-in Tariff Movement in the USA: Forum May 7, 10.30 am at the American Solar Energy Society's Solar 2008, San Diego, California
- The German FIT for Renewable Energy -- A Bargain! by Marcus Maedl, Applied Technologies
- Feed-In Tariffs: A Redistribution of Power? by former CEC Commissioner John Geesman
- Congressman Jay Inslee unveils plan to give guarantees to clean-energy generators (Legislation would be first in Congress to bring successful German program to the U.S.)
- Building a FIT Renewable Energy Market in the U.S. by Stephen Lacey, RenewableEnergyWorld.com
- Podcast Interview with Congressman Jay Inslee (D-Wash) on his Renewable Energy Buyback Act by Stephen Lacey, RenewableEnergyWorld.com
- The Renewable Electron Economy XIV: Renewable Energy Finance and Feed In Tariffs by Michael Hoexter
- The Feed-In Tariff Channel--Audio and video interviews with policy leaders by Marc Strassman (Note: a video player will install on your browser)
- FIT for the Future: Feed-In Tariffs (FITs) and their application in the United States--a Workshop
- Feed-in Tariffs: Solar FiT for the USA by Edgar A. Gunther
- Policy Food Fight: Feed-In Tariffs vs. Tax Credits by Jennifer Kho
- Does Goldman Sachs Endorse Feed-in Tariffs?
- The Case for Feed-in Tariffs in the United States by Jeffrey Michel (3 mb pdf)
- Renewable Tariffs at Progressive Blog Daily Kos
- All Renewables and Renewables for All: Renewable Tariffs for North America
- Feed-In Tariffs & Long Beach: The English Take on Solar Power 2007 by Miguel Mendonca, World Future Council
- Solar Without Limits: Breaking Free from Net Metering
- Presentation on Feed-in Tariffs and Ontario's SOC Program by Paul Gipe at ASES 2007 in Cleveland (3 mb)
- The Irony of U.S. and UK Renewable Policies by Craig Morris
- Energy from Hot Air: Taking a close look at the U.S. & European renewable energy legacies by Craig Morris
- Gore Calls for Renewable Energy Tariffs in Congressional Testimony
- The Debate over Fixed Price Incentives for Renewable Electricity in Europe and the United States
- Policies to Promote Non-hydro Renewable Energy in the United States and Selected Countries, US DOE, 2005--A Review
- Sierra Club (USA) 2006 Energy Resources Policy: Endorses Advanced Renewable Tariffs
- Sierra Club (USA)Endorses Electricity Feed Law (2002)
- CAP: A Properly Designed Feed-in Tariff Can Lower the Cost of Capital and Keep Electric Rates Down--Conversations about building new renewable energy almost always come back to the electricity from these projects being more expensive than fossil fuel energy. This may be the case (although it’s almost certainly overstated), but this shouldn’t lead to the conclusion that the way to minimize rate impacts is simply to use less renewable energy. In fact, there are policy tools that can help lower the cost of renewable energy, letting us meet renewables goals at a lower price. . .
- U.S. Climate Negotiator Calls for Feed-in Tariffs--Todd Stern, the head of the climate change negotiating team for the US Government called for Feed-in Tariff policies as key to solve the problem. Stern gave the briefing on December 7th to nearly 300 environmental group leaders in Durban, South Africa at the UN Climate Change negotiations. One of his major points was that the US and countries worldwide need to utilize the Feed-in Tariff approach in order to transform the energy production sector of society. . .
- Who is Todd Stern?--Stern graduated from Dartmouth College in 1973, and earned a J.D. at Harvard Law School. . .
- Globe & Mail: U.S. solar panel maker’s bankruptcy reveals poor policy--The Solyndra debacle exposes the U.S. government's poor means to its clean-energy policy ends. The U.S. solar panel maker's bankruptcy shows how poor risk assessment, and crony capitalism, undercut federally guaranteed loan programs. Germany's mandated long-term, fixed-rate contracts for alternative power sources, on the other hand, work better. They shrink the state's role picking winners and maximize market forces. . .
- Forbes: Why China And Europe Don't Have A Solyndra Problem--But the necessity of a federal loan guarantee program reflects the complete absence of political will on the part of either the administration or Congress to enact a cap-and-trade market, a carbon tax or other mechanisms – such as a feed-in-tariff (a nationwide premium paid for green electricity) – that would put a price on greenhouse gas emissions and level the playing field between fossil fuel and renewable energy providers. . .
- How to Design Feed-in Tariffs in the USA without Fear of Federal Preemption--The cavalry has finally arrived in the seemingly endless debate about what states can and can't do in designing workable feed-in tariffs. The cavalry is in the form of two new papers describing how states can design feed-in tariff policies without running afoul of the US government's power of preemption. . .
- CLEAN Contracts for Indian Country by Bob Gough--Also, innovative federal policies need not require any new federal spending, as renewable purchases can be rate-based, just as retail, spot market coal purchases are today. A new national report entitled: “CLEAN Contracts: Making Clean Local Energy Accessible Now” describes an innovative policy change called a “CLEAN contract,” modeled somewhat on European standard offer feed-in tariffs. It allows energy project owners to sell their electricity to utilities at a predetermined, fixed price for a predictable and extended period of time. . .
- ELaw: FERC Keeps the Door to FITs Wide Open--The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) has issued another order making it clear that states can move forward with strong renewable energy policies. California Public Utilities Commission, order denying rehearing, 134 FERC 61,044 (January 20, 2011). . .
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Federal Regulator Blasts Open Door to Differentiated Feed-in Tariffs in USA--In a ruling 21 October 2010, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) effectively cleared the way for multi-tiered feed-in tariffs for various renewable energy technologies, like the programs found in Ontario, Canada and across Europe. FERC's ruling "clarified" an earlier decision that had roiled proposed feed-in tariff policies at the state level in the US. . .
- US Ambassador to Finland Supports Feed-in Tariff--Finland is on the verge of implementing a “feed-in” tariff to help accelerate the expansion of renewable wind power within its borders. In my opinion this is a great idea . . .
- NREL: Feed-in Tariffs Legal in USA When Certain Conditions Met--The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) has issued a long-awaited legal analysis of how states could implement feed-in tariffs and still comply with federal law. . .
- Summary of Representative Inslee's Feed-in Tariff Bill (2008)
- Representative Inslee Introduces US Feed-in Tariff Bill (Renewable Energy Jobs and Security Act, H.R. 6401)
HB 1851 was introduced by Representatives Webb, L. Smith, Cash, Carroll in mid March, 2009.
For more details contact Bill Ball of the Arkansas Renewable Energy Association.
In light of the states aggressive carbon dioxide reduction targets (AB 32) and the state's lagging development of renewables, there's a growing sense that the state may have to switch course.
For an engaging account of how California became a renewable energy power house in the early and mid 1980s see Dynamos and Virgins.
- Presentation by Gipe Verdexchange 2012 M2A on Utility Tariffs
- Presentation by Gipe Verdexchange 2012 M4D on Assessing Federal Policies
- Key Elements Necessary for a Successful California Renewable Energy Sources Act by Paul Gipe--Much has been written about the painfully slow pace of renewable energy development in California and how feed-in tariffs can be used to create a robust market for renewable energy in the Golden State. . . This paper summarizes best practices used elsewhere and how California can incorporate these key elements in designing a world-class system of feed-in tariffs. By doing so, California can reclaim its leadership in renewable energy development that it held in the 1980s. . .
- Bringing the Renewable Energy Revolution Back Home with the California Renewable Energy Sources Act (CalRESA)--presentation by Paul Gipe for Sierra Club California
- Palo Alto Proposes Limited Solar Feed-in Tariff--Palo Alto's municipal utility has proposed a limited feed-in tariff program for solar photovoltaics (solar PV) only. . .
- Palo Alto New Solar Program--The City of Palo Alto Utilities (CPAU) is planning to launch a feed-in tariff program to purchase electricity generated from solar electric systems located in CPAU’s territory. The program is currently still in development, but CPAU staff is interested in receiving feedback from potential project participants prior to getting final approval for the program from its City Council in December of this year. . .
- Presentation by Paul Gipe on Electricity Rebels--Creating an Energy Revolution for the Bakersfield Cactus & Succulent Society
- Palo Alto: City's newest programs seeks to turn local businesses into renewable-energy providers--The City Council approved a new program last week that will allow small businesses with solar panels to sell electricity directly to the city. The program, known by the vague and obscure name of "feed-in tariff," will enable businesses to sign 20-year contracts with the city to provide electricity at a fixed rate, according to Jon Abendschein, a resource planner in the Utilities Department. . .
- California Governor's Conference on Feed-in Tariffs for Local Generation--Agenda and presentations on Governor Jerry Brown's first post-election action on developing 12,000 MW of distributed generation with feed-in tariffs. . .
- Feed-in Tariff Best Practice: Avoiding Solar Myopia--presentation by Paul Gipe at Intersolar San Francisco, Feed-in Tariff panel, including a proposal for solar PV feed-in tariffs in California . . .
- California's Solar Program Costs More Than German Feed-in Tariffs--Germans Paying Nearly One-Fourth Less per Kilowatt-hour for Solar than Californians. . . Should California Simply Adopt German Solar Tariffs? . .
- Distributed Geothermal in California Can Add 7% of Supply: What Feed-in Tariff Prices Are Necessary?--Small, geographically dispersed geothermal power plants could provide 7% of California's electricity supply, according to an analysis of data collected by a consultant to the Golden state. . .
- Bringing the Renewable Energy Revolution Back to California with Feed-in Tariffs--FITs Presentation by Paul Gipe for the Kern County Audubon Society March 1, 2011
- Kennedy Joins the Fray: Offers Support for Solar Feed-in Tariffs in Los Angeles--Respected environmentalist and clean-energy pioneer Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. today added his voice to the chorus in support of the CLEAN LA solar proposal, which would harness rooftop solar power to create the largest program of its kind in the nation. Kennedy joined dozens of business, labor, community and environmental leaders who have signed on to the plan that was created jointly by the Los Angeles Business Council and UCLA. . .
- Presentation by Paul Gipe on Feed-in Tariffs for Verdexchange, Los Angeles, January 23, 2010
- New California Governor Jerry Brown Calls for Feed-in Tariffs to Develop Distributed Generation--In an undated posting on Governor Jerry Brown's campaign web site, the then candidate called for building 12,000 MW of distributed generation out of 20,000 MW of new renewable generation. Governor Brown specifically calls on the legislature to introduce feed-in tariffs to accomplish this task. . .
- The California Solar Paradox: Why Does DRA Overlook the Cost Control Feature of Feed-in Tariffs?--The proposed solutions for reining in utility costs of solar PV ignore the world's most successful policy for developing massive amounts of renewable energy while strictly controlling costs: Feed-in Tariffs. . .
- Grading North American Feed-in Tariffs and Feed-in Tariff Best Practice by Paul Gipe for the Bay Area Council, October 26, 2010, San Francisco, California
- Presentation by Paul Gipe to the Bay Area Council, October 26, 2010, San Francisco, California
- Utility-scale Solar PV Prices Increasing in California by Craig Morris, Renewables International--It is interesting to note that, while feed-in tariffs for solar have been accused of overpaying, feed-in tariffs have been plummeting in countries like France and Germany during the timeframe under investigation here, whereas the policy used in the US has apparently been overpaying solar. . .
- Presentation by Paul Gipe to the California Green Assembly 11 September 2010, Fullerton, California
- Feed-in Tariff Conference Rallies Audience in San Francisco--200 people packed into the art deco City Club in San Francisco's financial district on July 12, 2010 to hear world leaders in the movement for feed-in tariffs for renewable energy. With speakers composing a who's who of feed-in tariff experts, the event exceeded organizers' expectations. . .
- Report on the Bernard Chabot FIT Price-Setting Workshop in San Francisco--Bernard Chabot presented a full-day workshop in San Francisco on how to use the Profitability Index Method to calculate feed-in tariffs for wind and solar energy. . .
- Advanced Renewable Tariffs: Getting it Right in North America--Presentation by Paul Gipe at Feed-in Tariffs-A Time for Real Action on Renewables, San Francisco, July 12, 2010 . . .
- LABC Proposes Los Angeles Solar Feed-in Tariffs--The Los Angeles Business Council (LABC) today released a report calling for a modest solar photovoltaic (PV) feed-in tariff program in the City of Angels. . .
- Robust Feed-in Tariffs Subject of San Francisco Conference July 12, 2010--A Who's Who of renewable energy advocates is gathering in San Francisco on July 12, 2010 for a one-day conference on how to design robust feed-in tariffs. . .
- Sierra Club Chapter Sponsors Feed-in Tariff Pricing Workshop in San Francisco 13 July, 2010--The Kern-Kaweah Chapter of the Sierra Club is sponsoring a technical workshop on how to accurately set feed-in tariff prices for renewable energy. The workshop will be held at the Sierra Club's national headquarters in San Francisco, California on 13 July, 2010. . .
- Gunther Portofolio: California Reversal of Feed-in Tariff Auction Proposal--PUC aluing lowest price over quality, time, and open, transparent markets?
- It's time to get serious on renewables. We need a new, robust, European-style feed-in tariff by Tam Hunt--Unfortunately, California has been stuck in neutral when it comes to wholesale renewables, relinquishing its early lead in the global renewable energy race. . .
- San Francisco Feed-in Tariff Price-Setting Workshop with Bernard Chabot--Bernard Chabot will lead a feed-in tariff price-setting technical workshop on 13 July, 2010 in San Francisco, California. The workshop features an extensive technical discussion of the Profitability Index Method for calculating specific tariffs for solar and wind energy. . .
- California Resting on Green Laurels--The Golden State has long had a reputation as a leader in renewable energy development. California’s accomplishments in the 1980s have taken on legendary status among renewable energy advocates. Unfortunately, California has lived off that reputation ever since. . .
- Sierra Club California Urges Increasing Solar PV 30 Times with FITs--Sierra Club California has called for increasing the role of solar PV in the state more than 30 times that of today through a system of feed-in tariffs. . .
- Solar PV in Los Angeles: The Emperor Has No Clothes Says UCLA--Report Calls for Designing Feed-in Tariffs That Work . . . The blockbuster report could have profound repercussions on renewable energy policy not only in Los Angeles, but also in California. . .
- Incentives would power solar sector by Tom Rooney in the San Francisco Chronicle--Plans to expand solar power in the United States looked a lot different from my seat in a cafe near Tiananmen Square than they did from my office in Novato. Many of the measures - and half-measures - that we read about every day in American newspapers are things the Germans and Chinese and Spanish and French decided to do 10 years ago. . .
- The Conversation: Finding the right tools to grow California's economy By Peter Asmus, Special to The [Sacramento] Bee--Simplify clean energy mandates by eliminating arcane pricing proceedings and instead use a simple standing offer commonly known as a "feed-in tariff." It was this contract arrangement that jump-started the renewable energy industry in California in the 1980s in the first place. . .
- Presentation by Paul Gipe on Feed-in Tariff Policy for the Local Clean Power Conference Oakland, California, February 10, 2010
- Presentation by Paul Gipe on Accelerating Deployment of RE for VerdeXchange
- Presentation by Paul Gipe on Globalizing Successful RE Policy for VerdeXchange
- Al Rosen's Letter to the LA Times on feed-in tariffs article 12 12 09--I think the public should be aware of some of the sad facts about California’s inadequate FIT program . . .
- LA Times: Germany shows government role is key to thriving solar industry--The nation has become the world's top leader in solar energy precisely because it did not leave the task of harnessing the sun to solely the private sector. . .
- The clean energy potential in our backyard--State Assembly Member Nancy Skinner says California should expand and improve the so-called "feed-in tariff" program . . .
- Presentation by Paul Gipe at UCLA Greening North America October 22, 2009
- Presentation by Paul Gipe at the Conference on Clean Tech at Southwestern Law School, Los Angeles, September 18, 2009
- SB 32 CalSIA FIT Bill Passes--Could Bring Incremental Improvement--The bill slightly amends the largely ineffective feed-in tariff introduced by the California Public Utility Commission (PUC) January 31, 2008. . .
- Senator Kehoe AB 1106 California Feed-in Tariff Policy--support if amended--Feed-in tariffs are the world's most successful policy for stimulating rapid growth of renewable energy in the fairest manner possible at the lowest cost to consumers. . .
- Sierra Club California Feed-in Tariff Filings & Comments--Sierra Club California has actively supported development of feed-in tariff policy in the Golden State. Sierra Club activists in California have been an integral part of efforts to move California toward a system of true feed-in tariffs differentiated by project size and technology. . .
- SMUD Announces "Feed-in Tariffs"-But Can Program Deliver as Promised?--Questions Surround Possible Effectiveness of Program . . .
- California Feed-in Tariff Bill, AB 1106, Amended--California's State Senate amended AB 1106 on June 25, 2009 and again on July 15, 2009. The bill has now been amended by the Senate Energy, Utilities, and Communications Committee and reported to the Appropriations Committee.
- Letter to Senate Energy, Utilities, and Communications Committee: AB 1106 - support if amended by Paul Gipe
- California's Attorney General Says Feed-in Tariffs Legal in USA--In a significant filing June 25, 2009 California's Attorney General (AG) argued that feed-in tariffs as proposed in California are not only permitted under federal law but that they should be used to encourage rapid growth of renewable energy.
- California Feed-In Tariff Design and Policy Options: Final Consultant Report, publication # CEC-300-2008-009-F, posted May 4, 2009
- CSI Report April 9 - Can the California Solar Initiative Net Metering Program Meet its Objectives?--The conclusion: No. California will not meet its 3,000 MW target. . .
- California PUC to Hold Workshop on Feed-in Tariffs--The California Public Utility Commission (PUC) will hold a workshop on "Renewable Feed-in Tariffs" on February 10, 2009 in San Francisco. . .
- CEC Recommends Cost-Based Feed-in Tariff
- Feed-in Tariffs Right for California and the Nation--After months of deliberation, with testimony from all sectors of the economy, the California Energy Commission is expected to soon call for a new policy intended to pump renewed vigor into the state's lagging development of renewable energy. . .
- Santa Monica To Study Feed Law
- Filing Comments on CEC Feed-in Tariff Final Report
- CEC Presentation Summary and Final Recommendations on Feed-in Tariffs for California
- Paul Gipe Comments on CEC Feed-in Tariff Final Report
- California Renewable Energy Sources Act Proposed Tariffs
- Continent's Largest Municipal Utility Proposes Solar Feed-in Tariff
- Palm Desert officials leave on solar trip to Spain: Ferguson and Conlon want to bring feed-in tariff to California (Desert Sun)
- California Air Resources Board Suggests Feed-in Tariff
- Los Angeles Solar Plan Press Release
- Los Angeles Solar Plan (1,300 MW of solar PV)
- Paul Gipe Comments on CEC Feed-in Tariffs Proposal
- Sierra Club California Comments on CEC Feed-in Tariff Proposal
- Filing Comments on CEC Feed-in Tariff Proposals: Take Action Now.
- Documents on CEC's Staff Workshop: Renewable Energy "Feed-In" Tariffs, October 1, 2008
- California Feed-in Tariff Design and Policy Options Report Publication No. CEC-300-2008-009-D
- California's Lieutenant Governor Calls for Feed-in Tariffs
- California Ratepayer Advocates Suggest Feed-in Tariffs
- CEC June 30 Staff Workshop: Renewable Energy "Feed-In" Tariffs--An excellent series of documents on feed law design, including the report below.
- Exploring Feed-In Tariffs for California: Feed-In Tariff Design and Implementation Issues and Options, publication # CEC-300-2008-003-D, posted June 20, 2008. (PDF file, 77 pgs, 464 kb)
- The California Feed-in Tariff Act of 2008
- California Feed-in Tariff Bills 2008
- CEC 2007 IEPR Excerpts where feed-in tariffs are discussed
- California Energy Commission To Recommend Renewable Energy Feed-in Tariffs (2007)
- Terry Tamminen on Feed-in Tariffs in California (audio interview)
- California Energy Commission Weighs Feed-in Tariff (2006)
- Solar for Energy Hogs: The California Example by Steven Letendre, Prometheus Institute
- Performance-Based Incentives or Renewable Tariffs for Photovoltaics in the USA (2006)
- Sierra Club (USA) Endorses Electricity Feed Law
- General Description of Standard Offer Contracts in California during the 1980s (doc)
- Standard Offer Contract No. 1 (pdf)
- Standard Offer Contract No. 3 (pdf)
- Standard Offer Contract No. 4 (pdf)
In 2002 the Sierra Club (USA) endorsed the use of Electricity Feed Laws as a policy mechanism for spurring greater renewable energy development in the USA.
In January 2005 California introduced a timid renewable tariff for solar PV under the unwieldy title of "Performance-Based Incentive". The tariffs are an alternative to the main solar Buy-Down program. Here are some key elements.
- $0.50/kWh for 3 yrs Only (Monetarily Equivalent to Buy-Down Program)
- ~$400,000 Project Cap
- ~$10 million Program Cap
- $1,000,000 Project Cap for Systems Installed by Corporate or Government
- Relies on "Early Adopters"
- Meter Read by Utility or Web Monitoring
- Colorado Brewer Supports Feed-in Tariffs--At New Belgium, we take environmental stewardship seriously so it's important for me to weigh in on a policy that would create incentives to put more clean energy on the grid. Given the history of the success of this policy around the world, I would like to answer with a resounding yes to implementing the Feed-in Tariff, or FiT, model in our community. . .
- Rocky Road for Clean Energy, Views Still Great by Anne butterfield--"This is a classic example of why you need surety in the marketplace," said Mike Bowman, globetrotting leader of the rural clean energy group 25x25 and former Colorado State Senate candidate. "There's no surety left in the marketplace, and a well designed feed-in tariff for distributed generation would fix all that." . .
- Presentation by Paul Gipe to the Colorado Governor's Energy Office 20 September 2010
- Presentation by Paul Gipe 17 September 2010 on Advanced Renewable Tariffs for the Alliance for Sustainable Colorado
- Presentation by Paul Gipe 17 September 2010 on Advanced Renewable Tariffs for the South Denver Chamber of Commerce
- Presentation by Paul Gipe 16 September 2010 on Advanced Renewable Tariffs for Boulder Clean Energy Action
- Presentation by Paul Gipe 16 September 2010 on Feed-in Tariffs for the City of Fort Collins
- Presentation by Paul Gipe 15 September 2010 on FITs for LPEA
- Presentation by Paul Gipe 15 September 2010 for the Durango Green Business Roundtable
- Presentation by Paul Gipe 15 September 2010 Durango Community Power Workshop.pdf
- Durango Herald: Cashing in on wind and sun: Revving up America's renewable revolution with feed-in tariffs--Something is up when both liberal and conservative think tanks find something to like in the same obscure energy policy with an odd name: feed-in tariffs. . .
- Colorado Towns explore renewable options--Already, 75 percent of the electricity distributed by the municipal utility department in Aspen comes from renewable sources, mostly wind. The city hopes to push that to 83 percent with installation of a small hydroelectric plant on a local creek.Could something called a feed-in tariff push Aspen toward its goal of 100 percent renewable energy? . .
On October 20, 2008 the Governor of Hawaii, Linda Lingle, the Department of Business Economic Development and Tourism, the Division of Consumer Advocacy of the Department of Consumer Affairs, and the Hawaiian Electric Company (HECO) signed an agreement to implement a feed-in tariff policy in 2009.
The agreement, say the signatories, is to move the island state away from dependence on imported oil, and toward indigenous renewable resources of which the islands have abundance.
The state and HECO agreed to accelerate the development of renewable resources on all the islands in the Hawaiian chain.
The agreement specifically binds HECO to implement a series of feed-in tariffs to "dramatically accelerate the addition of renewable energy from new sources". The parties further agreed that the feed-in tariff "should be designed to cover the renewable energy producer's costs of energy production plus some reasonable profit."
The agreement commits Hawaii to complete regulatory review by March, 2009 and to implement the resulting feed-in tariffs by July.
If implemented as conceived, Hawaii will have moved further and faster on feed-in tariffs than any other state.
- Hawaii PUC approves Tier 3 Feed in Tariff program--Last November, Tiers 1 and 2 were released. Tier 1 covers projects up to 20 kilowatts. Tier 2 is for projects between 21-500 kilowatts. . . Tier 3, which was under review by the PUC since April, is expected to benefit a broader range of energy projects such as wind energy, with projects ranging from 501 kilowatts to 5 megawatts. . .
- Hawaii upgrading system to sell power to grid--After a slow start to a program allowing people to sell renewable energy to Hawaii's power grid, it's being revamped to attract more interest and reduce the state's dependence on imported oil. . . Only a handful of solar power projects have gone online since the highly anticipated program started last November, causing the state Public Utilities Commission to consider solutions that would make the initiative more attractive to independent producers. . .
- Little Interest in Hawaii Feed-in Tariff Program Says Report--Expected interest in Hawaii's feed-in tariff program has not materialized says a report by the program's independent observer. . . Hawaii's experience contrasts markedly with successful programs in Ontario, Vermont, and Gainesville, Florida where applicants, many for solar photovoltaic (PV) systems, overwhelmed administrators. . .
- Blue Planet's Feed-in Tariff Status Report--3 MW of proponents have applied for contracts.
- Solar Energy Foes Try to 'Block' Sun by Trip Van Noppen, President, Earthjustice--In Hawaii, for example, Earthjustice is taking on a blatant effort by the state's largest utility to block homes and businesses from installing rooftop solar panels, a move that could strangle Hawaii's burgeoning homegrown solar industry, prevent residents and businesses from saving money, and keep the state addicted to imported oil. . .
- Hawaiian Utility Fights Solar Industry Over Private Installations--Another project under consideration is a feed-in tariffs program like those already running in Europe; customers who produce more power than they need through solar installations would feed it back into the grid and earn money for that electricity. . .
- Hawaii PUC Decision on Feed-in Tariffs Summary--The Hawaii Public Utilities Commission (PUC) decision on implementation of feed-in tariffs for the state is 128 pages long. Below is a quick summary of key points in the decision. . .
- Hawaii PUC Decision Adopts FITs--A decision issued last Friday by the Public Utilities Commission could spawn new clean energy investment statewide through a price guarantee for electricity produced by sun, wind, and hydroelectric sources. . .
- What Farmer Herr Schmid Can Teach Maui--A new energy model will benefit Maui's economy. . .
- Hawaii gets to work on energy independence by Mark Niesse, Associated Press--HONOLULU — Wind and solar power pioneers spent this week seeking their Holy Grail: the ability to easily sell renewable electricity for use on Hawaii's power grids. . .
- Hawaii PUC Decision Pending on 'Feed-In Tariff' by Erik Kvam in Hawaii Reporter--The Public Utilities Commission will decide, after hearing testimony from April 13 to April 17 at the Honolulu Country Club, whether or not to create a “feed-in tariff” that encourages rapid development of large solar, wind and biomass electricity projects in Hawaii.
- Power to the people: Tariff proposal would energize Hawaii's move to green power By Jeff Mikulina, Blue Planet Foundation, in Hawaii Star Bulletin
- Blue Planet Response to Scoping Paper Appendices A and C (Non-Legal Questions).pdf (Hawaii PUC Feed-in Tariff Proceeding)
- Hawaii Moves Toward Feed-in Tariffs by Mid-Summer 2009
- Comments filed by Chris Mentzel on Hawaii Feed-in Tariff Scoping Document (December 2008)
- Feed-in Tariffs Best Deisgn Focusing Hawaii's Investigation by the National Regulatory Research Institute (December 2008)
- Hawaii Feed-in Tariff Case Studies by Sentech for the Hawaii Clean Energy Initiative (September 2008)
FIT-Hawaii.com (Web site promoting the use of feed-in tariffs in Hawaii)
- How to Really Make Renewable Energy Happen op-ed by Chris Wentzel
- Hawaii PUC Order Opening Proceeding on Feed-in Tariffs (October 2008)
- HCEI Regulatory Framework Summary.pdf--All parties agree that feed-in tariffs should cover the renewable developer’s cost of energy production plus a reasonable profit. . .
- HCEI accord signed-2008-oct-20.pdf (Details of the potentially precedent setting agreement)
- Hawaii Feed Law Bill: SB 1223 (2007)
- Northern Indiana utility wins with solar feed-in tariff--Since the Northern Indiana Public Service Company launched its Feed-in-tariff pilot program last year, solar power installations in the area have skyrocketed, says Amanda Miller . . .
- For Hatcher campaign, answer could be blowing in the wind--NIPSCO currently has a proposal before the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission for a "feed-in tariff" that would allow larger renewable energy projects to sell power directly to the utility, according to NIPSCO spokesman Nick Meyer. . .
- Details on Northern Indiana Public Service Company Proposed Feed-in Tariff; Will Vectren be next? by Laura Arnold--The pre-filed testimony presented by three company witnesses provide more of the details on their proposed changes to net metering as well as the new proposed FiT. . .
- Indiana Legislator Introduces Feed-in Tariff Bill--Representative Matt Pierce (D-61st, Bloomington) introduced HB 1190 into the Indiana General Assembly January 7, 2010. The bill is the first comprehensive proposal for a system of feed-in tariffs in the current legislative sessions that have begun in states across the US. . .
- Proposed Indiana (Midwest) Feed-in Tariffs 2009--The tariffs suggested are applicable throughout the Midwest and not solely to Indiana. The tariffs, or prices paid for renewable generation per kilowatt-hour, are based on my professional judgment of current best practice worldwide and best practice specifically in North America. . .
- Indianapolis Power & Light Proposes Modest Midwestern Feed-in Tariff Program--Indianapolis Power & Light (IP&L), an electric utility that provides retail electric service to 470,000 residential, commercial and industrial customers in and around Indianapolis, Indiana, proposed a pilot feed-in tariff program in a regulatory filing earlier this year. . .
- Indianapolis Power & Light's Proposed Feed-in Tariffs (ppt)
- IP&L Supplemental Testimony to IURC--pages 10-13 describe IP&L's propoposed feed-in tariff policy.
- Indiana Representative Pierce Introduces Feed Law Bill--Representative Matt Pierce (D-Bloomington) has introduced HB 1622, the Advanced Renewable Energy Tariffs Act, into the Indiana General Assembly. The bill received first reading January 16, 2009 and was referred to the Committee on Commerce, Energy, Technology and Utilities. Representative Pierce is Vice Chair of the committee. . .
- Craig Lewis Gives Viedo Introduction to Feed-In Tariffs for Michigan--In this 10-minute video [California] FIT Coalition's Craig Lewis provides an articulate description of feed-in tariffs and why they would work for Traverse City, Michigan. . .
- Michigan Governor Calls for Feed-in Tariffs Cites Ontario's Success--In an address to a progressive think tank, Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm called for feed-in tariffs to develop the American renewable energy industry and the attendant jobs this would create. . .
- Michigan Institute Calls for Feed-in Tariffs at Municipal Utility--The Michigan Land Institute has proposed that Traverse City Light & Power implement a system of feed-in tariffs to wean the municipal utility from its dependence on coal. . .
-
Michigan Power plan would promote renewable energy
--A proposed “feed-in tariff” plan would allow individuals and businesses to generate renewable power and sell it to utility companies with a guaranteed “reasonable profit” of 10 to 30 percent. . .
- Tom Karas: Giving Yogi Berra FITs--I never thought I would use baseball great Yogi Berra’s famous line to talk about a utility company’s bizarre claims. But Tony Anderson, CEO of Cherryland Electric Cooperative, is forcing me. . .
- Tom Karas: There They Go Again--MECA's whitepaper, which, of course, concludes that FITs are not right for Michigan, struck me as another effort to marshal some fairly shoddy "facts" to slow down some of the big changes that are rocking utilities and that actually would benefit their customers. . .
- Giving Us FITs--Tom Karas' take on the Michigan Electric Co-op Association's efforts to pass questionable conclusions off as factual reasons to reject an innovative clean-energy policy . . .
- Michigan Eyes Europe’s Hot Clean-Energy Plan: ‘Feed-in tariffs’ fuel big green job growth and shift to renewables By Glenn Puit, Great Lakes Bulletin News Service
- Rebuttal to Michigan Cooperative Association Attack on Feed-in Tariffs--another insightful critique by Craig Morris of il-informed and false analysis of German feed-in tariff policy. . .
- Michigan Utility Proposes Pilot Solar Tariff--Consumers Energy, one of Michigan's principal investor-owned electric utilities, has filed a petition with the Michigan Public Service Commission that contains a proposed "pilot" feed-in tariff for solar PV. . .
- Michigan Revised RESA Proposed Tariffs (Decembder 2008)
- Paul Gipe Presentation on Advanced Renewable Tariffs, Grand Rapids, Michigan (December 2008)
- Grand Rapids Workshop on Feed-in Tariff Design
- Paul Gipe Presentation on Feed-in Tariffs and Michigan's Renewable Energy Sources Act October 20, 2008 (for Skip Pruss)
- Feed-in Tariff Presentation to Michigan House Commerce Committee
- Michigan PSC Weighs Pilot Feed-in Tariff
- Michigan Governor Granholm Puts Feed-in Tariffs on State Agenda
- Representative Kathleen Law's Feed-in Tariff Web Site: feedintariff.us
- Michigan Lawmaker Introduces Renewable Energy Sources Act
- Michigan Representative First to Endorse Renewable Energy Feed Laws
in the United States
- Michigan Agri-Energy Luncheon.pdf (12 mb)
- Looking to Germany--Michigan Governor wants solar power incentives
- New Economic Opportunities Could Come to Nevada Soon--CARSON CITY, NV—The Senate Committee on Commerce, Labor and Energy held a hearing on Senate Bill 184 (SB184) on Monday, March 7. The bill will create a Renewable Energy Systems Development Program—a first of its kind policy in Nevada. It will require the Public Utility Commission of Nevada to develop a program where any person or business with a renewable energy generation system will be paid a fair "rate" to generate and "feed" their energy into the electric grid. Programs of this kind are commonly known as a feed-in tariff (FIT) where the term "tariff" is not a tax, but a "rate" paid. . .
- Power by the people by Deidre Pike--Schools with solar panels could make money to fund student activities. Universities could get paid for renewable energy production. Businesses and factories might turn industrial waste into power. A plan headed to the Nevada Legislature creates a structure to pay institutions, companies and individuals for generating electricity. Advocates say the plan could create potentially a couple of thousand jobs and lure companies—folks who manufacture, say, solar panels—to the Silver State. . .
- Nevada Senator Requests Draft Feed-in Tariff Bill--Senator Mike Schneider,chair of the Senate Committee on Energy, Infrastructure and Transportation, has requested the drafting of a bill authorizing the Public Utility Commission of Nevada to establish a feed-in tariff program for renewable energy of all types . . .
- Public Utilities Commission of Nevada Opens Feed-in Tariff Docket: 09-11004 was opened November 4, 2009--No documents were posted as of December 10, 2009.
- Oregon’s New Solar Law Not a Good FIT by Jennifer Gleason--Contrary to what some commentators are saying, Oregon did not just adopt a feed-in tariff (FIT). ELAW has been working diligently to ensure that Oregon adopts a FIT because FITs have been proven to be the most effective and efficient means of moving renewables onto the grid. Sadly, Oregon’s program falls far short of the mark. . .
- Oregon's Failing Grade-Should it be Changed?--Proponents of Oregon's recently implemented "feed-in tariff" for microgenerators have questioned the failing grade given it by the World Future Council (WFC) in its recent report. . .
- Oregon Passes Revised "Feed-in Tariff" Bill--As in the Oregon's previous bill, Oregon 3690 calls for only a small pilot program for solar PV of 25 MW. Tariffs are based on the "value" of the electricity. . .
- Oregon's solar future could hinge on copying Germany By Amy Hsuan, The Oregonian--New solar factories rise atop snow-covered hills. High-tech businesses snag workers for miles around. On rooftops and farmland, solar panels fire electricity into the utility grid. . .
- Heyday for solar? New law could spur solar boom here, but many greenies wary by Steve Law, Portland Tribune--A new solar energy law could quadruple the solar power produced in Oregon, but many renewable-energy advocates say the law is flawed and may be counterproductive. . .
- Oregon Passes Weak Solar PV "Tariff"--To the great disappointment of feed-in tariff advocates in Oregon, the state legislature passed a weak bill for a "pilot" program for solar PV on June 22, 2009. . .
There are no true renewable tariffs in Tennessee.
- San Antonio Muni To Launch Limited Solar FIT--Another utility has announced that it will voluntarily launch a limited solar PV feed-in tariff. The municipal utility serving San Antinio, Texas, CPS Energy, will introduce the program in January of the new year. . .
- Presentation by Paul Gipe for the NW Solar Summit in Bellevue, WA November 7, 2011
- Washington State FIT Bill Heard in Committee--An Act Creating Standard Offer Contracts was introduced into the Washington State House of Representatives January 5, 2010 and was heard by the Committee on Technology, Energy, and Communication on January 11th. . .
- Washington State House Committee Chair Outlines FIT Bill--The chairman of Washington State House committee on Technology, Energy, and Communication has outlined his plans for a bill on feed-in tariffs in the next legislative session. . .
- Presentation by Paul Gipe at the Washington Solar Summit October 23, 2009
- Washington State Sets New Performance Incentive for 2009--Washington State passed SB 6170 in May, 2009 changing the state's novel production incentive by raising the so-called "base rate" and by including a new category of "community solar".
- Washington State Introduces Feed Law Bill
--Washington State legislators have upped the ante on the West Coast's march toward renewable energy feed laws with the introduction of HB 1086, which calls for a full system of feed-in tariffs. . .
- Washington State Enacts Solar Feed Law
WE Energies,Madison Gas & Electric, and now Wisconsin Public Service and Wisconsin Power & Light have small renewable tariff programs. While limited they are another example illustrating that the concept is not foreign to North America.
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