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Washington State legislators have upped the ante on the West Coast's march toward renewable energy feed laws with the introduction of HB 1086. The bill by Representatives John McCoy (D-38th), Representative Maralyn Chase (D-32nd), Representative Zachary Hudgins (D-11th), and Representative Jeff Morris (D-40th) was introduced mid January amidst a flurry of bills calling for feed-in tariffs in the Washington State Legislature.
Washington State's HB 1086 calls for a full system of feed-in tariffs for all renewable energy technologies. The bill is modeled after Germany's highly successful Renewable Energy Sources Act and includes differentiated tariffs not only for solar energy but also for wind energy as well.
California has previously been the focus of media interest as the legislative and administrative process grinds on toward feed-in tariffs in the Golden State. In December, presiding members of the California Energy Commission recommended that the state move immediately toward feed-in tariffs differentiated by technology and based on the cost of generation plus a reasonable profit. California's Public Utility Commission will hold a workshop on the CEC's proposal February 10th.
Oregon's Governor, Ted Kulongoski, has meanwhile thrown a bill into the hopper that includes a tepid proposal for a pilot feed-in tariff program--and that only for solar energy.
Unlike Oregon's proposal, Washington State's HB 1086 calls for a full system of feed-in tariffs for all renewable energy technologies. The bill is modeled after Germany's highly successful Renewable Energy Sources Act and includes differentiated tariffs not only for solar energy but also for wind energy as well.
On January 28, 2009 a public hearing was held by the House Committee on Technology and Energy & Communications. Representative McCoy chairs the committee.
In a further sign of political support for the bill, co-sponsor Hudgins is Majority Floor Leader, and co-sponsor Morris is Speaker Pro Tempore.
Washington State is among only three states and one province with any form of feed-in tariffs in North America. Several Wisconsin utilities offer limited feed-in tariffs for certain technologies. California offers a basic feed-in tariff that has been largely ineffective, according to data from the California Energy Commission. Ontario has a partially differentiated system of feed-in tariffs and 1,500 MW of contracts since the program went into effect. However, only 50 MW have been installed in the province under the program.
The existing Washington State program uses a sliding scale of payments based on the degree of domestic content in the renewable energy system. The program has resulted in the installation of about 1 MW of solar PV in the state. The policy is the brainchild of Mike Nelson of the Northwest Solar Center.
Nelson, among others, testified at the hearing on HB 1086. Nelson is Washington State's feed-in tariff authority and is on the steering committee of the North American Alliance for Renewable Energy. The Alliance is promoting feed-in tariffs across the US and Canada.
Several states introduced feed-in tariff legislation in 2008, and several states have introduced or will re-introduce bills this legislative session, including Minneosta, Michigan, and Indiana. Several other states are considering such legislation. Ontario is expected to introduce its Green Energy Act, a major revision of its current program, late this winter.
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You say "Unlike Oregon's proposal, Washington State's HB 1086 calls for a full system of feed-in tariffs for all renewable energy technologies. The bill is modeled after Germany's highly successful Renewable Energy Sources Act and includes differentiated tariffs not only for solar energy but also for wind energy as well."
Which is it "all renewable energy technologies" or solar and wind?
Germany's renewable energy law includes differentiated tariffs (by technology type, system size and location e.g. roof or ground-mounted, on-shore or off-shore) for solar, wind, hydro, biogass and other renewable energy sources. Versions are available in several languages including English at:
http://www.erneuerbare-energien.de/inhalt/42934/40508/
Cynicism reigns. Lets give the authors a time to respond. I have heard from the House Speaker and he says he will address my point.
Trust me I realize the stranglehold that the utilities have on those of us trying to commercialize various renewable technologies. I can live with $.115 for biomass as long as I can build out a 10 MW size power plant. 15 is much better.
Its been a long time that I have been waiting for FIT to come to reality here in the states let alone my own state of WA. I am not about to trash those who are trying to make it happen despite the flaws that I do indeed see. Maybe you would be better off to work with those who are trying to make it happen than to just bash them?
http://apps.leg.wa.gov/billinfo/summary.aspx?bill=1086&year=2009
An additional flaw is the so called "teeth" in the bill. A $100.00 per day penalty to the utility for failure to facilitate interconnection. That'll scare em.
But HB 1086 is a start and I would hope that anyone interested would contact the legislative authors to offer constructive advice.
Author:
Mike Holly
Date Posted:
February 4, 2009
Thanks Brian, but I am fully aware and appreciative of Germany's fair feed in tariffs. It is the political crap we get in the US that bothers me.
Thanks Mark, I knew the state of Washington's FIT had to be just propaganda. Same crap we get from Washington DC. including Obama.
They are offering 32 cents/kWh for solar pv. Particularly impressive in that they charge only around 11 cents/kWh for electricity in the sunshine state.
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Thanks!