Oregon Governor Signs Energy Legislation
On July 22, 2009, Oregon Governor Ted Kulongoski signed seven bills to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. SB 101 establishes new greenhouse gas emission performance standards for electric generation facilities. Generators of baseload power must have emissions equal to or less than 1,100 pounds of carbon dioxide (CO2) per megawatt-hour, and electric utilities may only enter into long-term agreements to purchase baseload power from complying entities regardless of whether this power is generated in-state or out-of-state. This bill builds on HB 3283 (1997), which limited CO2 emissions from baseload gas power plants, all non-baseload power plants, and non-generating energy facilities to 17 percent below the most efficient baseload gas plant in the United States. California and Washington have also established emission performance standards for electric generation; these standards are set at 1,100 pounds of CO2 per megawatt-hour as well.
HB 3039 addresses renewable energy, directing the state’s Public Utility Commission (PUC) to develop a pilot feed-in tariff to obtain up to 25 megawatts of new solar photovoltaic electricity. Only systems with a capacity of 500 kilowatts or less will qualify, and the program has a goal of obtaining 75 percent of its electricity from small-scale sources (to be defined by the PUC). In addition to the feed-in tariff, this bill also establishes a solar photovoltaic standard within the state renewable portfolio standard. The solar photovoltaic standard is set at 20 megawatts by 2020 and applies to systems greater than 500 kilowatts and less than five megawatts in capacity. Each investor-owned utility will be required to meet their share of this statewide standard. Every kilowatt-hour of electricity generated from these solar photovoltaic systems may count as two kilowatt-hours for the purposes of complying with the state renewable portfolio standard.
Governor Kulongoski signed several other pieces climate legislation as well. SB 38 directs the state Environmental Quality Commission to create greenhouse gas emission reporting rules for electricity or fossil fuels that are imported, sold, or distributed in the state. SB 79 creates a Task Force on Energy Performance Scores, which will develop recommendations for a voluntary system to measure energy performance. This bill also directs the Department of Consumer and Business Services to develop a “reach” building code and update the state building code to increase energy efficiency 15-25 percent by 2012 in nonresidential buildings and 10-15 percent by 2012 in residential buildings. HB 2626 targets energy efficiency as well, requiring the Oregon Department of Energy to administer various loan programs to support investments in energy efficiency.
The governor also signed SB 2186 and HB 3463, both of which address greenhouse gas emissions from transportation.
SB 101
SB 38
SB 79
HB 2626
HB 3039
Emissions Cap for Electricity
Renewable & Alternative Energy Portfolio Standards