Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to concur with Senate amendments and pass a bill that requires Vermont utility companies to pay subsidized rates for electricity made from small-scale renewable energy, and to promote renewable energy sources.

Highlights:

-Requires Vermont retail electricity providers to use standardized rates for qualifying renewable energy resources with a plant capacity of less than 2.2 MW (Sec.4). -Establishes initial price levels to be paid for energy derived from methane, wind, solar, and hydropower sources until the public service board re-evaluates the price levels (Sec.4). -Requires all retail electricity providers in Vermont to purchase some renewable energy credits (Sec.4). -Pools money from the agreement with Entergy Nuclear VY and Entergy Nuclear Operations, Inc. and the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 into the Vermont Clean Energy Development Fund, in order to promote development of renewable energy sources (Sec. 5). -Recommends that state-owned land be opened up to proposals for wind energy facilities and requests a review of current policy (Sec.8).

Full Bill Text

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill requiring Vermont utility companies to pay subsidized rates for electricity made from small-scale renewable energy, and to create a fund to promote renewable energy sources.

Highlights:

-Requires Vermont retail electricity providers to use standardized rates for qualifying renewable energy resources with a plant capacity of less than 2.2 MW (Sec.4). -Establishes initial price levels to be paid for energy derived from methane, wind, solar, and hydropower sources until the public service board re-evaluates the price levels (Sec.4). -Requires all retail electricity providers in Vermont to purchase some renewable energy credits (Sec.4). -Pools money from the agreement with Entergy Nuclear VY and Entergy Nuclear Operations, Inc. and the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 into the Vermont Clean Energy Development Fund, in order to promote development of renewable energy sources (Sec. 5). -Recommends that state-owned land be opened up to proposals for wind energy facilities and requests a review of current policy (Sec.8).

Full Bill Text

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to require Vermont utility companies to pay subsidized rates for electricity made from small-scale renewable energy, and to promote renewable energy sources.

Highlights:

-Requires Vermont retail electricity providers to use standardized rates for qualifying renewable energy resources with a plant capacity of less than 2.2 MW (Sec. 4). -Establishes initial price levels to be paid for energy derived from methane, wind, solar, and hydropower sources (Sec. 4). -Creates guidelines for determining appropriate price levels and requires the Public Service Board to re-evaluate and adjust prices as necessary every 2 years, beginning January 15, 2012 (Sec. 4). -Requires all electricity providers in Vermont to purchase the power generated by plants that accept the standard offer (Sec. 4). -Pools money from the agreement with Entergy Nuclear VY and Entergy Nuclear Operations, Inc. and the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 into the Vermont Clean Energy Development Fund, in order to promote development of renewable energy sources (Sec. 5). -Prohibits the rejection of petitions for wind generation facilities for failure to specify the exact make or dimensions of turbines and rotors, as long as petitions provide other information about said motors and their parts (Sec. 7). -Recommends the Agency of Natural Resources to review the policy on wind power generation on state lands, and issue a report by February 15, 2010 to announce any necessary changes to said policy (Sec. 8). -Requires the Commissioner of Public Service to establish energy standards for residential buildings and some commercial buildings so that these buildings comply with the International Energy Conservation Code (Sec. 11-12). -Requires the Department of Public Service to research and study green growth, including the identification of "green growth zones" in which electric generation or district heating is optimal for new development (Sec. 15).

Full Bill Text