By: Watson, Van de Putte  S.B. No. 541
         (In the Senate - Filed January 26, 2009; February 17, 2009,
  read first time and referred to Committee on Business and Commerce;
  April 30, 2009, reported adversely, with favorable Committee
  Substitute by the following vote:  Yeas 5, Nays 2; April 30, 2009,
  sent to printer.)
 
  COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR S.B. No. 541 By:  Watson
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
 
  relating to incentives for Texas renewable energy jobs and
  manufacturing.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  The purpose of this Act is to continue Texas'
  leadership in installing clean, renewable energy in Texas in a
  market-based manner that drives manufacturing jobs and provides
  price protection for businesses and consumers.
         SECTION 2.  Section 39.904, Utilities Code, is amended by
  amending Subsections (a), (b), (c), (d), (n), and (o), and adding
  Subsections (a-1), (c-1), and (c-2), and (p), to read as follows:
         (a)  It is the intent of the legislature that by January 1,
  2015, an additional 5,000 megawatts of generating capacity from
  tier 1 renewable energy technologies will have been installed in
  this state. The cumulative installed renewable capacity in this
  state shall total 5,880 megawatts by January 1, 2015, and the
  commission shall establish a target of 10,000 megawatts of
  installed renewable capacity by January 1, 2025. The cumulative
  installed tier 1 renewable capacity in this state shall total 2,280
  megawatts by January 1, 2007, 3,272 megawatts by January 1, 2009,
  4,264 megawatts by January 1, 2011, 5,256 megawatts by January 1,
  2013, and 5,880 megawatts by January 1, 2015. [Of the renewable
  energy technology generating capacity installed to meet the goal of
  this subsection after September 1, 2005, the commission shall
  establish a target of having at least 500 megawatts of capacity from
  a renewable energy technology other than a source using wind
  energy.]
         (a-1)  It is the goal of the legislature that by January 1,
  2020, an additional 3,000 megawatts of tier 2 renewable energy will
  have been installed in this state. Of the renewable energy
  generating capacity installed to meet the goal of this subsection,
  up to 1,000 megawatts of renewable energy storage may qualify to
  meet the tier 2 goal. The cumulative installed tier 2 renewable
  energy resource capacity in this state shall total 150 megawatts by
  January 1, 2011; 300 megawatts by January 1, 2012; 700 megawatts by
  January 1, 2013; 800 megawatts by January 1, 2014; 1,000 megawatts
  by January 1, 2015; 1,300 megawatts by January 1, 2016; 1,500
  megawatts by January 1, 2017; 1,800 megawatts by January 1, 2018;
  2,400 megawatts by January 1, 2019; and 3,000 megawatts by January
  1, 2020.
         (b)  The commission shall establish a tier 1 renewable energy
  credits trading program and a tier 2 renewable energy credits
  trading program. Any retail electric provider, municipally owned
  utility, or electric cooperative that does not satisfy the
  requirements of Subsection (a) by directly owning or purchasing
  capacity using renewable energy technologies shall purchase
  sufficient renewable energy credits to satisfy the requirements by
  holding renewable energy credits in lieu of capacity from renewable
  energy technologies. In calculating capacity factors for tier 2
  renewable energy credits, the commission shall encourage a diverse
  portfolio of tier 2 renewable energy technologies.
         (c)  Not later than January 1, 2000, the commission shall
  adopt rules necessary to administer and enforce this section. At a
  minimum, the rules shall:
               (1)  establish the minimum annual renewable energy
  requirement for each retail electric provider, municipally owned
  utility, and electric cooperative operating in this state in a
  manner reasonably calculated by the commission to produce, on a
  statewide basis, compliance with the requirement prescribed by
  Subsections (a) and (a-1) [Subsection (a)]; and
               (2)  specify reasonable performance standards that all
  renewable capacity additions must meet to count against the
  requirement prescribed by Subsections (a) and (a-1) [Subsection
  (a)] and that:
                     (A)  are designed and operated so as to maximize
  the energy output from the capacity additions in accordance with
  then-current industry standards; and
                     (B)  encourage the development, construction, and
  operation of new renewable energy projects at those sites in this
  state that have the greatest economic potential for capture and
  development of this state's environmentally beneficial renewable
  resources.
         (c-1)  Not later than January 1, 2011, the commission shall
  adopt rules necessary to provide a "Made in Texas" incentive for
  tier 1 and tier 2 renewable energy credits generated by generation
  equipment that is wholly produced or substantially transformed by a
  Texas workforce, as determined by the commission. The incentive
  under this subsection shall be available for the first three years
  after the renewable energy equipment first produces electricity on
  a commercial basis.
         (c-2)  Not later than January 1, 2010, the commission shall
  adopt rules necessary to track and account for renewable energy
  credits earned from electric generating capacity derived from
  renewable energy storage. The rules shall:
               (1)  allow for the renewable energy storage to be
  located on the same or on a different site as the renewable
  generation being stored;
               (2)  ensure that only one renewable energy credit is
  retired for every megawatt hour of renewable energy generated prior
  to being stored for later release onto the electricity grid; and
               (3)  account for any loss in energy resulting from
  storage for later use.
         (d)  For purposes of [In] this section:
               (1)  "Tier 1 renewable energy technology" [, "renewable
  energy technology"] means any technology that exclusively relies on
  an energy source that is naturally regenerated over a short time and
  derived directly from the sun, indirectly from the sun, or from
  moving water or other natural movements and mechanisms of the
  environment. Renewable energy technologies include those that rely
  on energy derived directly from the sun, on wind, geothermal,
  hydroelectric, wave, or tidal energy, or on biomass or
  biomass-based waste products, including landfill gas. A renewable
  energy technology does not rely on energy resources derived from
  fossil fuels, waste products from fossil fuels, or waste products
  from inorganic sources.
               (2)  "Tier 2 renewable energy" means tier 1 renewable
  energy technology excluding energy derived from wind with a
  capacity of more than 150 kilowatts.
               (3)  "Renewable energy storage" means energy storage
  technology that stores for later release energy derived from tier 1
  or tier 2 renewable energy.
         (n)  Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the
  commission shall have the authority to cap the price of renewable
  energy credits and may suspend the goal contained in Subsections
  (a) and (a-1) [Subsection (a)] if such suspension is necessary to
  protect the reliability and operation of the grid.
         (o)  The commission may establish tier 1 and tier 2 [an]
  alternative compliance payments [payment]. An entity that has a
  renewable energy purchase requirement under this section may elect
  to pay the alternative compliance payment instead of applying
  renewable energy credits toward the satisfaction of the entity's
  obligation under this section. [The commission may establish a
  separate alternative compliance payment for the goal of 500
  megawatts of capacity from renewable energy technologies other than
  wind energy.] The tier 1 alternative compliance payment for a
  renewable energy purchase requirement that could be satisfied with
  a renewable energy credit from wind energy may not be less than
  $2.50 per credit or greater than $20 per credit. Prior to September
  1, 2009, an alternative compliance payment under this subsection
  may not be set above $5 per credit. The tier 2 alternative
  compliance payment that could be satisfied with a tier 2 renewable
  energy credit shall not exceed $90 per renewable energy credit
  before December 31, 2014; $80 per renewable energy credit before
  December 31, 2015; $65 per renewable energy credit before December
  31, 2016; $45 per renewable energy credit before December 31, 2017;
  $40 per renewable energy credit before December 31, 2018; $35 per
  renewable energy credit before December 31, 2019; $30 per renewable
  energy credit before December 31, 2020. In implementing this
  subsection, the commission shall consider:
               (1)  the effect of renewable energy credit prices on
  retail competition;
               (2)  the effect of renewable energy credit prices on
  electric rates;
               (3)  the effect of the alternative compliance payment
  level on the renewable energy credit market; and
               (4)  any other factors necessary to ensure the
  continued development of the renewable energy industry in this
  state while protecting ratepayers from unnecessary rate increases.
         (p)  Tier 2 alternative compliance payment funds collected
  by the commission shall be deposited into the Texas emerging
  technology fund or other fund and allocated exclusively for the
  research and development of tier 2 renewable energy technologies
  and to renewable energy storage technologies for the purpose of
  making tier 2 renewable energy more affordable for consumers.
         SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2009.
 
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