The 2007 Minnesota legislature has adopted the strongest renewable energy standard (as of January 2009) that applies to all the state’s utilities – 25% renewables by 2025 (30% by 2020 for Xcel Energy) giving a total renewable requirement of about 27.5% of electricity sales by 2025. Continue reading

Thecity of Portland, OR, has established a mandate that requires minimum blends of biodiesel and ethanol in petroleum-based fuels sold within the city and requires city-owned vehicles to maximize use of renewable fuels. Continue reading

Here you find some selected rules and information on net metering in a variety of states including:  Massachusetts , Nevada, New York, Oregon and Vermont Continue reading

California’s net metering law was established in 1995. There have been many modifications over the years including 3 separate bills enacted in 2005. The are many exceptions but, in general, the current rules allow on-site energy projects of up to 1 MW access to net metering. The combined capacity of net-metered systems may not exceed 0.5% of any utility’s peak demand [except for SDG&E, which has a limit of 50 MW]. Continue reading

Only electric generators less than 40 kilowatts (kW) are eligible and include fossil fuel cogeneration facilities.There is no statewide limit on the amount of electricity that can qualify for net metering payments, all customer classes are eligible for the program, and all utilities are required to offer net metering.

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In 2004, existing net metering provisions were revised by the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities. Net metering is available for qualifying projects up to 2MW. Customers eligible for net metering own the renewable-energy credits (RECs) associated with the electricity they generate. Continue reading

Wisconsin is the other state to offer the retail rate for net excess generation (NEG), but unlike Minnesota it does so only for electricity generated from renewable resources. For non-renewable generation the net energy rate is the utility’s avoided cost of electricity production. Continue reading

The Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD) will buy excess solar-powered electricity produced by their customers at the retail rate. In 1993, the SMUD PV Pioneer program established a partnership with customers willing to assist in the early adoption of photovoltaic(PV) technology. Continue reading

In November 2001, voters in San Francisco cast their ballots in favor of becoming a world leader in solar electricity. Seventy-three percent of voters approved of Proposition B to allow San Francisco to issue$100 million in revenue bonds to finance enough renewable energy to supply about 25 percent of the government’s needs. If fully implemented San Francisco will become the largest single producer of solar energy in the U.S. Continue reading

In late November 1997, without much fanfare, the Salem Electric Cooperative’s (SE) Board of Directors unanimously voted to approve a contract to purchase power for their owner/member from wind power. This act of green citizenship would result in Salem Electric getting about 15% of their electricity from wind energy with the increased costs spread between all their owner/members rather than just a few. Continue reading