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STANDARD RENEWABLE RATES <br /> HF 1130 Rep.Andrew Falk(DFL- Murdock) <br /> No Senate companion bill <br /> To establish standard rates that all utilities would pay for electrical energy from various <br /> types of renewable sources. In addition,the bill would establish a surcharge on all retail <br /> electricity bills and a fund in which to collect the surcharge. From the fund, incentive <br /> payments would be made to renewable electricity generators. <br /> "SOLAR POWER COST REDUCTION ACT" <br /> HF 1146 Rep. Will Morgan (DFL- Burnsville) <br /> SF 1054 Sen. Chris Eaton (DFL- Brooklyn Center) <br /> To allow non-utility companies to put photovoltaic panels on the homes or other property <br /> of people, businesses, and public entities, sell those property owners the electrical output <br /> of those devices and sell excess electricity to the local utility. (Third party ownership.) <br /> The bill would also require the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission to establish new <br /> interconnection standards and requirements for distributed generation under"at least four <br /> categories that vary by nameplate capacity and level of complexity" that address, for each <br /> category, the following issues: <br /> 1) applicable technical standards; <br /> 2) timelines with specific deadlines for all utility decisions and actions; <br /> 3) screening criteria; <br /> 4) insurance; <br /> 5) metering and monitoring; <br /> 6) facility testing,controls,and inspections; <br /> 7) permissible interconnection fees and charges that may be fixed or based on <br /> approved formulas or rates; and <br /> 8) other issues determined by the commission. <br /> The bill would also require all electric utilities to allow third-party owned community solar <br /> generating facilities of up to 2 megawatts capacity onto their systems. The facilities would <br /> sell subscriptions for the energy they produce and sell excess generation to the utility at <br /> the utility's avoided cost for generation. <br /> The bill would also prohibit contracts and homeowners association rules that restrict <br /> property owners from installing solar energy systems. Parties that win lawsuits to enforce <br /> this provision would be entitled for reimbursement of their attorney fees. <br /> 85 <br />