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Pennsylvania State Senate
12/11/2024 06:51 PM
Pennsylvania State Senate
https://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/Legis/CSM/showMemoPublic.cfm?chamber=S&SPick=20190&cosponId=28764
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Senate Co-Sponsorship Memoranda

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Senate of Pennsylvania
Session of 2019 - 2020 Regular Session

MEMORANDUM

Posted: March 12, 2019 03:30 PM
From: Senator Art Haywood and Sen. Thomas H. Killion, Sen. Steven J. Santarsiero
To: All Senate members
Subject: Modernizing Pennsylvania's Renewable Energy Standards
 
Global climate change is one of the greatest challenges facing our generation. It has already had significant impacts on the environment, from rising sea levels to more extreme weather events, costing businesses, governments and taxpayers billions of dollars. Pennsylvanians are feeling the effects of climate change more and more – especially in the form of extreme rainfall and flooding. It is long overdue that we implement stronger renewable energy goals to create good jobs, cut pollution and ensure a sustainable and prosperous Pennsylvania for future generations.

While the Alternative Energy Portfolio Standards Act (AEPS) was a forward-looking policy when enacted in 2004, neighboring states with stronger energy standards have surpassed us – creating thousands of new, family-sustaining jobs and cutting emissions in the process (Please see attachment).

There is a clear opportunity cost of not taking greater advantage of the environmental and economic opportunities that the renewable industry supplies. Therefore, we plan to introduce legislation to keep Pennsylvania competitive with surrounding states by setting realistic and achievable renewable energy requirements through the AEPS.

Specifically, our legislation:
  1. Expands the AEPS Tier I requirement from 8% to 30% by 2030, including 7.5% for in-state grid-scale solar and 2.5% for in-state distributed generation solar;
  2. Directs the PUC to study the benefits of a renewable energy storage program;
  3. Provides for several protections that control costs for electricity customers, including long-term contracting, fixed ACP payments, and a 15-year lifetime limit for generating eligible SRECs for solar projects.
It is time we tap into the enormous benefits from increasing our renewable energy goals, including economic and job growth, public health protections from reduced air and water pollution and reduced greenhouse gas emissions. Please join us in co-sponsoring this important legislation for Pennsylvania to remain competitive in America’s renewable energy economy.

View Attachment


Introduced as SB600


Memo Updated: March 12, 2019 03:31 PM