American Renewable Energy and Efficiency Act

Bill: 114-hr-3426
Sponsor: Rep. Welch, Peter [D-VT-At Large]
Introduced: 2015-07-29 in the House
Policy area: Energy
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Alternative and renewable resources
Climate change and greenhouse gases
Congressional oversight
Dams and canals
Department of Energy
Economic development
Electric power generation and transmission
Energy efficiency and conservation
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
Environmental regulatory procedures
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC)
Government studies and investigations
Hazardous wastes and toxic substances
Lighting and heating
Lighting, heating, cooling
Oil and gas
Performance measurement
Public utilities and utility rates
State and local government operations

Summary:
action_date: 2015-07-29
text: 
American Renewable Energy and Efficiency Act - Amends the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 (PURPA) to require each retail electric supplier to submit to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) a quantity of federal renewable electricity credits that is equal to at least the annual target of the retail electric supplier established by this Act for each of 2017 through 2040. Requires the target to be equal to the product of the supplier's base amount (electricity sold) for the year and a specified annual percentage for that year, which increases from 8.5% for 2017 to 30% for 2030 through 2040.
 
Sets forth provisions governing the issuance, tracking, verification, trading, banking, and retirement of federal renewable electricity credits. 
 
Authorizes alternative compliance payments in lieu of credits.
 
Authorizes states to set the rates for a sale of electric energy by a facility generating electric energy from renewable energy sources pursuant to a voluntary production incentive program.
 
Requires the Secretary of Energy (DOE) to: (1) establish a program to implement, enforce, review, and adjust performance standards for specified cumulative electricity and natural gas savings for 2017 through 2030; (2) promulgate regulations establishing performance standards for 2031 through 2040 and for subsequent years by specified deadlines; and (3) set such standards at levels reflecting the maximum achievable level of cost-effective energy efficiency potential. Prohibits standards for any year from being lower than the standard for 2030. 
 
Requires the Secretary, at 10-year intervals, to review the most recent standards and increase them if additional cost-effective energy efficiency potential is achievable.
 
Requires each retail electricity and natural gas supplier to submit a report annually demonstrating that it has achieved cumulative required savings, which the Secretary shall review to verify that performance standards have been met. Authorizes suppliers to use electricity or natural gas savings purchased from another supplier, a state, or a third-party efficiency provider to meet such standards.
 
Provides for state administration of an energy efficiency program to meet the requirements of this Act. 
 
Requires the Secretary to direct the state to correct deficiencies found in a review and to report to the Secretary on progress not later than 180 days after the date of the receipt of review results.
 
Encourages state utility regulatory commissions to review their rules and regulations to ensure that utilities can recover the direct costs of energy efficiency programs, fully recover authorized fixed costs, and earn an incentive for shareholders if the energy efficiency standards are achieved.
 
Requires the Secretary to contract with the National Academy of Sciences to submit a comprehensive evaluation of all aspects of the program established by this Act by July 1, 2021, and every 10 years thereafter.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-07-31
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Energy and Power.
action_date: 2015-07-29
text: Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
action_date: 2015-07-29
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2015-07-29
text: Introduced in House