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2010 Florida Statutes
Florida renewable energy policy.
Florida renewable energy policy.
—It is the intent of the Legislature to promote the development of renewable energy; protect the economic viability of Florida’s existing renewable energy facilities; diversify the types of fuel used to generate electricity in Florida; lessen Florida’s dependence on natural gas and fuel oil for the production of electricity; minimize the volatility of fuel costs; encourage investment within the state; improve environmental conditions; and, at the same time, minimize the costs of power supply to electric utilities and their customers.
As used in this section, the term:
“Florida renewable energy resources” means renewable energy, as defined in s. 377.803, that is produced in Florida.
“Provider” means a “utility” as defined in s. 366.8255(1)(a).
“Renewable energy” means renewable energy as defined in s. 366.91(2)(d).
“Renewable energy credit” or “REC” means a product that represents the unbundled, separable, renewable attribute of renewable energy produced in Florida and is equivalent to 1 megawatt-hour of electricity generated by a source of renewable energy located in Florida.
“Renewable portfolio standard” or “RPS” means the minimum percentage of total annual retail electricity sales by a provider to consumers in Florida that shall be supplied by renewable energy produced in Florida.
The commission shall adopt rules for a renewable portfolio standard requiring each provider to supply renewable energy to its customers directly, by procuring, or through renewable energy credits. In developing the RPS rule, the commission shall consult the Department of Environmental Protection and the Florida Energy and Climate Commission. The rule shall not be implemented until ratified by the Legislature. The commission shall present a draft rule for legislative consideration by February 1, 2009.
In developing the rule, the commission shall evaluate the current and forecasted levelized cost in cents per kilowatt hour through 2020 and current and forecasted installed capacity in kilowatts for each renewable energy generation method through 2020.
The commission’s rule:
Shall include methods of managing the cost of compliance with the renewable portfolio standard, whether through direct supply or procurement of renewable power or through the purchase of renewable energy credits. The commission shall have rulemaking authority for providing annual cost recovery and incentive-based adjustments to authorized rates of return on common equity to providers to incentivize renewable energy. Notwithstanding s. 366.91(3) and (4), upon the ratification of the rules developed pursuant to this subsection, the commission may approve projects and power sales agreements with renewable power producers and the sale of renewable energy credits needed to comply with the renewable portfolio standard. In the event of any conflict, this subparagraph shall supersede s. 366.91(3) and (4). However, nothing in this section shall alter the obligation of each public utility to continuously offer a purchase contract to producers of renewable energy.
Shall provide for appropriate compliance measures and the conditions under which noncompliance shall be excused due to a determination by the commission that the supply of renewable energy or renewable energy credits was not adequate to satisfy the demand for such energy or that the cost of securing renewable energy or renewable energy credits was cost prohibitive.
May provide added weight to energy provided by wind and solar photovoltaic over other forms of renewable energy, whether directly supplied or procured or indirectly obtained through the purchase of renewable energy credits.
Shall determine an appropriate period of time for which renewable energy credits may be used for purposes of compliance with the renewable portfolio standard.
Shall provide for monitoring of compliance with and enforcement of the requirements of this section.
Shall ensure that energy credited toward compliance with the requirements of this section is not credited toward any other purpose.
Shall include procedures to track and account for renewable energy credits, including ownership of renewable energy credits that are derived from a customer-owned renewable energy facility as a result of any action by a customer of an electric power supplier that is independent of a program sponsored by the electric power supplier.
Shall provide for the conditions and options for the repeal or alteration of the rule in the event that new provisions of federal law supplant or conflict with the rule.
Beginning on April 1 of the year following final adoption of the commission’s renewable portfolio standard rule, each provider shall submit a report to the commission describing the steps that have been taken in the previous year and the steps that will be taken in the future to add renewable energy to the provider’s energy supply portfolio. The report shall state whether the provider was in compliance with the renewable portfolio standard during the previous year and how it will comply with the renewable portfolio standard in the upcoming year.
In order to demonstrate the feasibility and viability of clean energy systems, the commission shall provide for full cost recovery under the environmental cost-recovery clause of all reasonable and prudent costs incurred by a provider for renewable energy projects that are zero greenhouse gas emitting at the point of generation, up to a total of 110 megawatts statewide, and for which the provider has secured necessary land, zoning permits, and transmission rights within the state. Such costs shall be deemed reasonable and prudent for purposes of cost recovery so long as the provider has used reasonable and customary industry practices in the design, procurement, and construction of the project in a cost-effective manner appropriate to the location of the facility. The provider shall report to the commission as part of the cost-recovery proceedings the construction costs, in-service costs, operating and maintenance costs, hourly energy production of the renewable energy project, and any other information deemed relevant by the commission. Any provider constructing a clean energy facility pursuant to this section shall file for cost recovery no later than July 1, 2009.
Each municipal electric utility and rural electric cooperative shall develop standards for the promotion, encouragement, and expansion of the use of renewable energy resources and energy conservation and efficiency measures. On or before April 1, 2009, and annually thereafter, each municipal electric utility and electric cooperative shall submit to the commission a report that identifies such standards.
Nothing in this section shall be construed to impede or impair terms and conditions of existing contracts.
The commission may adopt rules to administer and implement the provisions of this section.
s. 18, ch. 2006-230; s. 42, ch. 2008-227.