posted on Monday, May 14, 2007 10:02 AM
by
Jennifer Rinker
New Hampshire Commits to a Renewable Portfolio Standard of 25% by 2025
The New Hampshire Senate passed unanimously and will send to Governor Lynch House Bill 873, a renewable portfolio standard intended to promote fuel diversity, lower regional dependence on fossil fuels, reduce and stabilize energy costs, keep energy investment in the state, reduce greenhouse gases, improve air quality, and stimulate investment in renewable technologies. Governor Lynch expressed his commitment for the RPS' ability to "help create jobs right here in New Hampshire by expanding uses for our wood products, in building clean power plants, and in research and development."
The legislature established four classes of renewable energy in its RPS. Class I includes new (after January 1, 2006) electricity production from wind, geothermal, biomass and methane fuels, ocean thermal, wave, current or tidal energy, and energy displacement by end-users. Class II includes new (after January 1, 2006) production of electricity from solar technologies. Class III includes electricity production from existing (prior to January 1, 2006) small biomass and methane gas operations. Class IV includes the production of electricity from existing (prior to January 1, 2006) hydroelectric energy.
Those utilities without renewable energy generation can purchase certificates in order to meet the requirements of the RPS. Although certificates are to be purchased on the open market, they may be subject to price caps that vary according to the energy source. In addition to setting target percentages by 2025, the legislature also established benchmark percentages for each classification in each year between implementation and 2025.
|
CLASS |
DEFINITION |
PERCENTAGE IN 2008 |
PERCENTAGE IN 2025 |
COST PER CERTIFICATE |
|
I |
NEW wind, geothermal, biomass, methane, end-use efficieny, and ocean
|
0 |
16 |
$57.12 |
|
II |
NEW solar
|
0 |
0.3 |
$150 |
|
III |
EXISTING biomass and methane
|
3.5 |
6.5 |
$28 |
|
IV |
EXISTING small hydroelectric |
0.5 |
1 |
$28 |
The PUC is charged with adopting rules to administer the RPS program, monitoring compliance with the rules, administering and making expenditures from the fund, and establishing procedures for classifying existing and proposed generation facilities.