II 

115TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. 1670 

To require the Secretary of Energy to establish a program to increase participation in community solar and the receipt of associated benefits, and 

for other purposes. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

JULY 27, 2017 

Mr. BENNET (for himself and Mr. HEINRICH) introduced the following bill; 

which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources 

A BILL 

To require the Secretary of Energy to establish a program 

to increase participation in community solar and the 

receipt of associated benefits, and for other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Community Solar Con5 sumer Choice Act of 2017’’. 

6 SEC. 2. COMMUNITY SOLAR. 

7 (a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 

8 (1) COMMUNITY SOLAR.—The term ‘‘commu9 nity solar’’ means a solar power plant, through 


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1 which the benefits of the electricity produced is 

2 shared by two or more electricity customers. 

3 (2) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 

4 the Secretary of Energy. 

5 (3) SUBSCRIBER.—The term ‘‘subscriber’’ 

6 means an electricity customer who receives direct 

7 economic benefits associated with the proportional 

8 output of the community solar facility of the cus9 tomer. 

10 (b) ESTABLISHMENT OF COMMUNITY SOLAR CON11 SUMER CHOICE PROGRAM.— 

12 (1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 1 year after 

13 the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary 

14 shall establish a program to expand community solar 

15 options to— 

16 (A) individuals, particularly individuals 

17 that do not have regular access to onsite solar, 

18 including low- and moderate-income individuals; 

19 (B) businesses; 

20 (C) nonprofit organizations; and 

21 (D) States and local and tribal govern22 ments. 

23 (2) ALIGNMENT WITH EXISTING FEDERAL PRO24 GRAMS.—The Secretary shall align the program 


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1 under paragraph (1) with existing Federal programs 

2 that serve low-income communities. 

3 (3) ASSISTANCE TO STATE AND LOCAL GOVERN4 MENTS.—In carrying out the program under para5 graph (1), the Secretary shall— 

6 (A) provide technical assistance to States 

7 and local and tribal governments for projects to 

8 increase community solar; 

9 (B) assist States and local and tribal gov10 ernments in the development of new and inno11 vative financial and business models that lever12 age competition in the marketplace in order to 

13 serve community solar subscribers; and 

14 (C) use National Laboratories (as defined 

15 in section 2 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 

16 (42 U.S.C. 15801)) to collect and disseminate 

17 data that assists private entities in the financ18 ing of, subscription to, and operation of com19 munity solar projects. 

20 (c) FEDERAL GOVERNMENT PARTICIPATION IN COM21 MUNITY SOLAR.—The Federal Government is encouraged 

22 to participate in community solar projects, including by 

23 subscribing to community solar facilities. 

Æ 


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