HB 2792 (Tran) and SB 1779 (Ebbin) establishes a six-year pilot program that allows a locality to use excess energy generated by a renewable energy project to be credited towards electric bills for other municipal accounts. Under the program a county could install solar panels or wind turbines “… located on airports, landfills, parking lots, parks, post-mine land, or a reservoir that is owned, operated, or leased by the municipality” and use excess energy generated at the facility to be credited to other metered accounts. The result will be a reduction in the amount of electricity for which the county is billed by the utility.
Key Points
- The bill removes a significant barrier to deploying renewable energy by allowing the energy generated at the site to be credited towards energy consumed at other municipal facilities.
- Generation of renewable energy under the program provides a viable financing mechanism to offset energy consumption and reduce municipal expenditures on electricity.
HB 2792 was referred to the House Commerce and Labor Committee while SB 1779 was referred to the Senate Commerce and Labor Committee.
VACo Contacts: Joe Lerch, AICP and Chris McDonald, Esq.