AB174: Bill Text

AB174,20 Section 20. 196.374 (3) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB174,20,6 196.374 (3) (a) In general. The commission shall have oversight of programs under sub. (2). The commission shall maximize coordination of program delivery, including coordination between programs under subs. (2) (a) 1., (b) 1. and 2., and (c) and (7), ordered programs, low-income weatherization programs under s. 16.957, renewable resource low-carbon-emission energy source programs under s. 196.378, and other energy efficiency or renewable resource programs. The commission shall cooperate with the department of natural resources to ensure coordination of energy efficiency and renewable resource programs with air quality programs and to maximize and document the air quality improvement benefits that can be realized from energy efficiency and renewable resource programs.

AB174,21 Section 21. 196.378 (title) of the statutes is repealed and recreated to read:

AB174,20,8 196.378 (title) Low-carbon-emission energy sources.

AB174,22 Section 22. 196.378 (1) (ag) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB174,20,12 196.378 (1) (ag) “Baseline renewable low-carbon-emission percentage” means the average of an energy provider’s renewable energy percentage, as defined in par. (fm), 2023 stats., for 2001, 2002, and 2003.

AB174,23 Section 23. 196.378 (1) (am) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB174,20,15 196.378 (1) (am) “Biomass cofired facility” means a renewable low-carbon- emission facility in which biomass and conventional resources are fired together.

AB174,24 Section 24. 196.378 (1) (ar) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB174,20,22 196.378 (1) (ar) “Biomass” means a resource that derives energy from wood or plant material or residue, biological waste, crops grown for use as a resource or landfill gases. “Biomass” does not include garbage, as defined in s. 289.01 (9), or nonvegetation-based industrial, commercial, or household waste, except that “biomass” includes refuse-derived fuel used for a renewable low-carbon-emission facility that was in service before January 1, 1998.

AB174,25 Section 25. 196.378 (1) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB174,21,2 196.378 (1) (b) “Conventional resource” means a resource that derives energy from coal, oil, nuclear power or natural gas, except for natural gas used in a fuel cell.

AB174,26 Section 26. 196.378 (1) (e) and (em) of the statutes are created to read:

AB174,21,5 196.378 (1) (e) “Large solar electric generating facility” has the meaning given in s. 196.491 (1) (h).

AB174,21,7 (em) “Large wind electric generating facility” has the meaning given in s. 196.491 (1) (i).

AB174,27 Section 27. 196.378 (1) (fg) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB174,21,10 196.378 (1) (fg) “Renewable Low-carbon-emission energy” means electricity derived from a renewable low-carbon-emission resource.

AB174,28 Section 28. 196.378 (1) (fm) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB174,21,16 196.378 (1) (fm) “Renewable Low-carbon-emission energy percentage” means, with respect to an electric provider for a particular year, the percentage that results from dividing the sum of the megawatt hours represented by the following by the total amount of electricity that the electric provider sold to retail customers or members in that year:

AB174,21,18 1. The renewable low-carbon-emission resource credits created from the electric provider’s total renewable low-carbon-emission energy in that year.

AB174,21,21 2. Any renewable low-carbon-emission resource credits in addition to the renewable low-carbon-emission resource credits specified in subd. 1. that the electric provider elects to use in that year.

AB174,29 Section 29. 196.378 (1) (fr) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB174,22,2 196.378 (1) (fr) “Renewable Low-carbon-emission energy supplier” means a person from whom an electric provider purchases renewable low-carbon-emission energy at wholesale.

AB174,30 Section 30. 196.378 (1) (g) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB174,22,6 196.378 (1) (g) “Renewable Low-carbon-emission facility” means an installed and operational electric generating facility, located in or outside this state, that generates renewable low-carbon-emission energy.

AB174,31 Section 31. 196.378 (1) (h) (intro.) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB174,22,9 196.378 (1) (h) (intro.) “Renewable Low-carbon-emission resource” means any of the following:

AB174,32 Section 32. 196.378 (1) (h) 1. a. of the statutes is amended to read:

AB174,22,12 196.378 (1) (h) 1. a. A fuel cell that uses, as determined by the commission, a renewable low-carbon-emission fuel.

AB174,33 Section 33. 196.378 (1) (h) 1r. of the statutes is created to read:

AB174,22,14 196.378 (1) (h) 1r. A resource that derives electricity from nuclear power.

AB174,34 Section 34. 196.378 (1) (h) 2. of the statutes is amended to read:

AB174,22,18 196.378 (1) (h) 2. Any other resource, except a conventional resource, that the commission designates as a renewable low-carbon-emission resource in rules promulgated under sub. (4).

AB174,35 Section 35. 196.378 (1) (i) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB174,22,22 196.378 (1) (i) “Renewable Low-carbon-emission resource credit” means a credit calculated in accordance with rules promulgated under sub. (3) (a) 1., 1m., and 2.

AB174,36 Section 36. 196.378 (1) (o) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB174,23,5 196.378 (1) (o) “Total renewable low-carbon-emission energy” means the total amount of renewable low-carbon-emission energy that the electric provider sold to its customers or members in a year. “Total renewable low-carbon-emission energy” does not include any energy that is used to comply with the renewable low-carbon- emission energy requirements of another state. “Total renewable low-carbon- emission energy” includes all of the following:

AB174,23,10 1. Renewable Low-carbon-emission energy supplied by a renewable low- carbon-emission facility owned or operated by an affiliated interest or wholesale supplier of an electric provider and allocated to the electric provider under an agreement between the electric provider and the affiliated interest or wholesale supplier.

AB174,23,16 2. Renewable Low-carbon-emission energy purchased by an affiliated interest or wholesale supplier of an electric provider from a renewable low-carbon-emission facility that is not owned or operated by the affiliated interest or wholesale supplier, which renewable low-carbon-emission energy is allocated to the electric provider under an agreement between the electric provider and the affiliated interest or wholesale supplier.

AB174,37 Section 37. 196.378 (2) (title) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB174,23,18 196.378 (2) (title) Renewable Low-carbon-emission resource energy.

AB174,38 Section 38. 196.378 (2) (a) 1. of the statutes is amended to read:

AB174,24,4 196.378 (2) (a) 1. No later than June 1, 2016 2027, the commission shall prepare a report stating whether, by December 31, 2015 2026, the state has met a goal of 10 percent of all electric energy consumed in the state being renewable low- carbon-emission energy. If the goal has not been achieved, the report shall indicate why the goal was not achieved and how it may be achieved, and the commission shall prepare similar reports biennially thereafter until the goal is achieved. The commission shall submit reports under this subdivision to the governor and chief clerk of each house of the legislature for distribution to the legislature under s. 13.172 (2).

AB174,39 Section 39. 196.378 (2) (a) 2. a. to f. of the statutes are amended to read:

AB174,24,9 196.378 (2) (a) 2. a. For the years 2006, 2007, 2008, and 2009, each electric provider may not decrease its renewable energy percentage, as defined in sub. (1) (fm), 2023 stats., below the electric provider’s baseline renewable percentage, as defined in sub. (1) (ag), 2023 stats.

AB174,24,13 b. For the year 2010, each electric provider shall increase its renewable energy percentage, as defined in sub. (1) (fm), 2023 stats., so that it is at least 2 percentage points above the electric provider’s baseline renewable percentage, as defined in sub. (1) (ag), 2023 stats.

AB174,24,17 c. For the years 2011, 2012, 2013, and 2014, each electric provider may not decrease its renewable energy percentage, as defined in sub. (1) (fm), 2023 stats., below the electric provider’s renewable energy percentage, as defined in sub. (1) (fm), 2023 stats., required under subd. 2. b.

AB174,24,21 d. Except as provided in subd. 2. f., for the year 2015, each electric provider shall increase its renewable energy percentage, as defined in sub. (1) (fm), 2023 stats., so that it is at least 6 percentage points above the electric provider’s baseline renewable percentage, as defined in sub. (1) (ag), 2023 stats.

AB174,25,2 e. Except as provided in subd. 2. f., for each year after the years 2015 through 2025, each electric provider may not decrease its renewable energy percentage, as defined in sub. (1) (fm), 2023 stats., below the electric provider’s renewable energy percentage, as defined in sub. (1) (fm), 2023 stats., required under subd. 2. d.

AB174,25,10 f. If an electric provider has a baseline renewable percentage, as defined in sub. (1) (ag), 2023 stats., that exceeds 12 percent and a renewable energy percentage, as defined in sub. (1) (fm), 2023 stats., that exceeds 14 percent for the year 2014, the electric provider shall maintain its renewable energy percentage, as defined in sub. (1) (fm), 2023 stats., in the years 2015 and thereafter through 2025 and its low-carbon-emission energy percentage in the years 2026 and thereafter at a level that is at least 2 percentage points above its baseline renewable percentage, as defined in sub. (1) (ag), 2023 stats.

AB174,40 Section 40. 196.378 (2) (a) 2. em. of the statutes is created to read:

AB174,25,15 196.378 (2) (a) 2. em. Except as provided in subd. 2. f., for each year after 2025, each electric provider may not decrease its low-carbon-emission energy percentage below the electric provider’s renewable energy percentage, as defined in sub. (1) (fm), 2023 stats., required under subd. 2. d.

AB174,41 Section 41. 196.378 (2) (b) 5. of the statutes is amended to read:

AB174,25,23 196.378 (2) (b) 5. An electric provider that purchases renewable low-carbon- emission energy from a renewable low-carbon-emission energy supplier may use an allocated share of the renewable low-carbon-emission energy sold by the renewable low-carbon-emission energy supplier to comply with a requirement under par. (a) 2. or to create a credit under sub. (3) (a), provided that the cost of the renewable low- carbon-emission energy is included in the price the electric provider paid the renewable low-carbon-emission energy supplier.

AB174,42 Section 42. 196.378 (2) (bm) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB174,26,3 196.378 (2) (bm) Each electric provider shall annually retire renewable low- carbon-emission resource credits sufficient to satisfy the electric provider’s renewable low-carbon-emission energy percentage required under par. (a) 2.

AB174,43 Section 43. 196.378 (2) (c) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB174,26,20 196.378 (2) (c) No later than April 15 annually, or another annual date specified by the commission by rule, an electric provider shall submit a report to the commission that identifies the electric provider’s renewable low-carbon-emission energy percentage for the previous year and describes the electric provider’s compliance with par. (a) 2. and the electric provider’s implementation plans for future compliance. Reports under this paragraph may include certifications from renewable low-carbon-emission energy suppliers regarding the sources and amounts of renewable low-carbon-emission energy supplied to the electric provider. The commission may specify the documentation that is required to be included with reports submitted under this paragraph. The commission may require that electric providers submit the reports in a proceeding, initiated by the commission under this section relating to the implementation of s. 1.12, or in a proceeding for preparing a strategic energy assessment under s. 196.491 (2). No later than 90 days after the commission’s receipt of an electric provider’s report, the commission shall inform the electric provider whether the electric provider is in compliance with par. (a) 2.

AB174,44 Section 44. 196.378 (2) (d) (intro.) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB174,27,3 196.378 (2) (d) (intro.) The commission shall allow an electric utility to recover from ratepayers the cost of providing total renewable low-carbon-emission energy to its retail customers in amounts that equal or exceed the percentages specified in par. (a). Subject to any approval of the commission that is necessary, an electric utility may recover costs under this paragraph by any of the following methods:

AB174,45 Section 45. 196.378 (2) (d) 2. of the statutes is amended to read:

AB174,27,7 196.378 (2) (d) 2. Establishing alternative price structures, including price structures under which customers pay a premium for renewable low-carbon- emission energy.

AB174,46 Section 46. 196.378 (2) (e) 2. of the statutes is amended to read:

AB174,27,14 196.378 (2) (e) 2. Notwithstanding reasonable efforts to protect against unreasonable increases in rates of the applicant’s ratepayers or members, compliance with the deadline will result in unreasonable increases in rates of the applicant’s ratepayers or members, including increases that are due to the discontinuation of federal renewable energy tax credits or other federal policies intended to reduce the acquisition costs of renewable low-carbon-emission energy.

AB174,47 Section 47. 196.378 (2) (e) 3. of the statutes is amended to read:

AB174,27,19 196.378 (2) (e) 3. Notwithstanding reasonable efforts to obtain required approvals, the applicant cannot comply with the deadline because the applicant or a supplier has experienced or will experience delays in receiving required siting or permitting approvals for renewable low-carbon-emission energy projects.

AB174,48 Section 48. 196.378 (2) (e) 4. of the statutes is amended to read:

AB174,27,24 196.378 (2) (e) 4. Notwithstanding reasonable efforts to secure transmission service, the applicant cannot comply with the deadline because the applicant faces transmission constraints that interfere with the economic and reliable delivery of renewable low-carbon-emission energy to the applicant’s system.

AB174,49 Section 49. 196.378 (3) (title) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB174,28,2 196.378 (3) (title) Renewable low-carbon-emission resource credits.

AB174,50 Section 50. 196.378 (3) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB174,28,22 196.378 (3) (a) 1. Each megawatt hour of an electric provider’s total renewable low-carbon-emission energy creates one renewable low-carbon-emission resource credit for the electric provider. Subject to subd. 2., an electric provider that exceeds its renewable low-carbon-emission energy percentage required under sub. (2) (a) 2. may, in the applicable year, bank any excess renewable low-carbon-emission resource credits or any portion of any excess renewable low-carbon-emission resource credit for use in a subsequent year or sell any excess renewable low-carbon- emission resource credits or any portion of any excess renewable low-carbon- emission resource credit to any other electric provider at any negotiated price. An electric provider that creates or purchases a renewable low-carbon-emission resource credit or portion may use the credit or portion, as provided under par. (c), to establish compliance with sub. (2) (a) 2. The commission shall promulgate rules that establish requirements for the creation and use of a renewable low-carbon- emission resource credit created on or after January 1, 2004, including calculating the amount of a renewable low-carbon-emission resource credit, and for the tracking of renewable low-carbon-emission resource credits by a regional renewable low-carbon-emission resource credit tracking system. The rules shall specify the manner for aggregating or allocating credits under this subdivision or sub. (2) (b) 4. or 5.

AB174,29,22 1m. The commission shall promulgate rules that allow an electric provider or customer or member of an electric provider to create a renewable low-carbon- emission resource credit based on use in a year by the electric provider, customer, or member of solar energy, including solar water heating and direct solar applications such as solar light pipe technology; wind energy; hydroelectric energy; geothermal energy; biomass; biogas; synthetic gas created by the plasma gasification of waste; densified fuel pellets described in sub. (1) (h) 1. i.; fuel described in sub. (1) (h) 1. j.; heat as described in sub. (1) (h) 1. k.; or heat that is a byproduct of a manufacturing process and is used to provide thermal energy for another purpose; or nuclear energy; but only if the use displaces the electric provider’s, customer’s, or member’s use of electricity that is derived from conventional resources, and only if the displacement is verifiable and measurable, as determined by the commission. The rules shall allow an electric provider, customer, or member to create a renewable low-carbon-emission resource credit based on 100 percent of the amount of the displacement. The rules shall also allow an electric provider, customer, or member to create a renewable low-carbon-emission resource credit under this subdivision regardless of when the source used to create the credit was placed in service. The rules may not allow an electric provider to create renewable low-carbon-emission resource credits under this subdivision based on renewable low-carbon-emission energy upon which renewable low-carbon-emission resource credits are created under subd. 1. The rules may also not allow an electric provider to create renewable low-carbon-emission resource credits under this subdivision based on hydroelectric energy that is not eligible for creating renewable low-carbon-emission resource credits under subd. 1.

AB174,30,8 2. The commission shall promulgate rules for calculating the amount of a renewable resource credit, as defined in sub. (1) (i), 2023 stats., that is bankable from a renewable facility, as defined in sub. (1) (g), 2023 stats., placed into service before January 1, 2004. The Except as provided in subd. 3., the amount of a bankable renewable resource credit, as defined in sub. (1) (i), 2023 stats., created on or after January 1, 2004, from such a renewable facility, as defined in sub. (1) (g), 2023 stats., or a low-carbon-emission facility, except for such a renewable facility owned by a retail customer of an electric provider, is limited to the incremental increase in output from the renewable facility that is due to capacity improvements made on or after January 1, 2004.

AB174,51 Section 51. 196.378 (3) (a) 3. of the statutes is created to read:

AB174,30,18 196.378 (3) (a) 3. The commission shall promulgate rules for calculating the amount of a low-carbon-emission resource credit that is bankable from a low- carbon-emission facility that derives electricity from nuclear power placed into service before January 1, 2026. The amount of a bankable low-carbon-emission resource credit created on or after January 1, 2026, from such a low-carbon- emission facility, except a low-carbon-emission facility owned by a retail customer of an electric provider, is limited to the incremental increase in output from the low- carbon-emission facility that is due to capacity improvements made on or after January 1, 2026.

AB174,52 Section 52. 196.378 (3) (c) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB174,31,3 196.378 (3) (c) A renewable resource credit, as defined in sub. (1) (i), 2023 stats., created under s. 196.378 (3) (a), 2003 stats., may not be used after December 31, 2011. A renewable resource credit, as defined in sub. (1) (i), 2023 stats., or a low- carbon-emission resource credit created under par. (a) 1., 1m., or 2. may not be used after the 4th year after the year in which the credit is created, except the commission may promulgate rules specifying a different period of time if the commission determines that such period is necessary for consistency with any regional renewable resource credit trading program that applies in this state.

AB174,53 Section 53. 196.378 (4) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB174,31,8 196.378 (4) Renewable Low-carbon-emission resource rules. The commission may promulgate rules that designate a resource, except for a conventional resource, as a renewable low-carbon-emission resource in addition to the resources specified in sub. (1) (h) 1. and 1m.

AB174,54 Section 54. 196.378 (4m) (title) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB174,31,11 196.378 (4m) (title) Additional renewable low-carbon-emission resources requirements.

AB174,55 Section 55. 196.378 (4m) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB174,31,19 196.378 (4m) (a) The commission may not impose on an electric provider any requirement that increases the electric provider’s renewable low-carbon-emission energy percentage beyond that required under sub. (2) (a) 2. If an electric provider is in compliance with the requirements of sub. (2) (a) 2., the commission may not require the electric provider to undertake, administer, or fund any other renewable low-carbon-emission energy program. This paragraph does not limit the authority of the commission to enforce an electric provider’s obligations under s. 196.374.

AB174,56 Section 56. 196.378 (4m) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB174,32,2 196.378 (4m) (b) An electric utility may, with commission approval, administer or fund a program that increases the electric utility’s renewable low- carbon-emission energy percentage beyond that required under sub. (2) (a) 2. The commission may not order an electric utility to administer or fund a program under this paragraph.

AB174,57 Section 57. 196.378 (4r) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB174,32,11 196.378 (4r) Reports. No later than July 1 of each even-numbered year, the commission shall submit a report to the governor and chief clerk of each house of the legislature for distribution to the legislature under s. 13.172 (2) that evaluates the impact of the requirements of this section on the rates and revenue requirements of electric providers and compares that impact with the impact that would have occurred if renewable low-carbon-emission energy practices of electric providers were subject to market forces in the absence of the requirements of this section.

AB174,58 Section 58. 196.378 (5) (intro.) of the statutes is amended to read: