An Act To Provide Rebates for the Purchase of Certain Solar and Wind Power Equipment
Maine Legislature, Session 125, LD 0761
Committee Amendment CA_A_H455 (House)
Amends: 35-A MRSA §3210, 35-A MRSA §10121

COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "A" to H.P. 568, L.D. 761, Bill, "An Act To 
Provide Rebates for the Purchase of Certain Solar and Wind Power Equipment" 
Amend the bill by striking out the title and substituting the following: 
'An Act To Provide Rebates for Renewable Energy Technologies' 
Amend the bill by striking out everything after the title and before the summary and 
inserting the following: 
'Emergency preamble. Whereas, acts and resolves of the Legislature do not 
become effective until 90 days after adjournment unless enacted as emergencies; and 
Whereas, the laws governing the solar and wind energy rebate program were 
repealed effective December 31, 20 I 0; and 
Whereas, the installation of renewable energy technology is a form of economic 
activity in this State; and 
Whereas, funding is immediately available for rebates to provide incentives for this 
economic activity; and 
Whereas, in the judgment of the Legislature, these facts create an emergency within 
the meaning of the Constitution of Maine and require the following legislation as 
immediately necessary for the preservation of the public peace, health and safety; now, 
therefore, 
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1. 35-A MRSA §3210, sub-§9, ,B, as amended by PL 2009, c. 565, §4 and 
affected by §9, is further amended to read: 
B. 
The commission shall collect alternative compliance payments made by 
competitive electricity providers and shall deposit all funds collected under this 
paragraph in the Renewable Resource Fund established under section 10121, 
subsection 2 to be used to fund research, development and demonstration projects 
Page I - 125LR0729(02)-1 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
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COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "A" to H.P. 568, L.D. 761 
relating to renewable energy technologies and to fund rebates for cost-effective 
renewable energy technologies. 
Sec. 2. 35-A MRSA §l0121, sub-§l, as enacted by PL 2009, c. 565, §7 and 
affected by §9, is amended to read: 
1. 
Funding for renewable resource research and development; community 
demonstration projects; rebates for cost-effective renewable energy technologies. 
The trust by rule shall establish and administer a program allowing retail consumers of 
electricity to make voluntary contributions to fund renewable resource research and 
development and~ to fund community demonstration projects using renewable energy 
technologies and to fund rebates for cost-effective renewable energy technologies. The 
program must: 
A. 
Include a mechanism for customers to indicate their willingness to make 
contributions; 
B. Provide that transmission and distribution utilities collect and account for the 
contributions and forward them to the trust; 
C. Provide for a distribution of the funds through a competitive bid process to the 
University of Maine System, the Maine Maritime Academy or the Maine Community 
College System for renewable resource research and development; 
D. 
Provide for a distribution of the funds through a competitive bid process to 
Maine-based nonprofit organizations that qualifY under the federal Internal Revenue 
Code, Section 50 I (c )(3), consumer-owned transmission and distribution utilities, 
community-based 
nonprofit 
organizations, 
community 
action 
programs, 
municipalities, quasi-municipal corporations or districts as defined in Title 30-A, 
section 2351, community-based renewable energy projects as defined in section 
3602, subsection I and school administrative units as defined in Title 20-A, section I 
for community demonstration projects using renewable energy technologies; and 
E. Provide for an annual distribution of 35% of the funds to the Maine Technology 
Institute to support the development and commercialization of renewable energy 
technologies7; and 
F. Provide rebates for cost-effective renewable energy technologies as determined by 
the trust. 
Rules adopted under this subsection are routine technical rules pursuant to Title 5, chapter 
375, subchapter 2 A. 
Sec. 3. 35-A MRSA §l0121, sub-§2, as enacted by PL 2009, c. 565, §7 and 
affected by §9, is amended to read: 
2. Fund established. There is established the Renewable Resource Fund, referred to 
in this section as "the fund." The fund is a nonlapsing fund administered by the trust. All 
funds collected by the trust pursuant to subsection I must be deposited in the fund for 
distribution by the trust in accordance with subsection 1. The trust may seek and accept 
funding for the program established pursuant to subsection 1 from other sources, public 
or private. Any funds accepted for use in the program established pursuant to subsection 
must be deposited in the fund. Funds not spent in any fiscal year remain in the fund to 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
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COMMITIEE AMENDMENT ,A" to H.P. 568, L.D. 761 
be used for the purposes of this section. Any interest earned on funds in the fund must be 
credited to the fund. 
The trust may allocate funds pursuant to subsection 1, paragraphs C, 0 and F from the 
fund to most effectively meet the objectives of the triennial plan pursuant to section 
10104, subsection 4. 
Sec. 4. 35-A MRSA §10121, sub-§4 is enacted to read: 
4. Rulemaking. The trust shall adopt rules to implement this section. The rules 
must include, but are not limited to: 
A. 
Selection criteria for the competitive bid process pursuant to subsection 1, 
paragraphs C and D, including, but not limited to, the cost-effectiveness of the project 
or development and the likelihood that the renewable energy technology will be 
adopted on a broader scale in this State; and 
B. Qualification criteria for rebates for renewable energy technologies pursuant to 
paragraph F, including, but not limited to, cost-effectiveness and quality assurance 
requirements. 
Rules adopted under this subsection are routine technical rules pursuant to Title 5, chapter 
375, subchapter 2-A. 
Sec. 5. 
Use of remaining funds for solar and wind energy rebate 
program. The Efficiency Maine Trust, established in the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 
35-A, section 10 1 03, shall use any remaining funds collected for purposes of the solar 
and wind energy rebate program that was terminated on December 3 I, 20 I 0 pursuant to 
Title 35-A, former section 10 112 for rebates for renewable energy technologies pursuant 
to Title 35-A, section 10121, subsection 1, paragraph F. 
Sec. 6. Appropriations and allocations. The following appropriations and 
allocations are made. 
EFFICIENCY MAINE TRUST 
Efficiency Maine Trust Z100 
Initiative: Allocates funds to the Efficiency Maine Trust to provide rebates for 
cost-effective renewable energy technologies utilized by government and nonprofit 
entities subjected to a competitive bid process. 
OTHER SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS 
All Other 
OTHER SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS TOTAL 
2011-12 
$0 
$0 
2012-13 
$360,000 
$360,000 
Emergency clause. 
In view of the emergency cited m the preamble, this 
legislation takes effect when approved.' 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "A' to H.P. 568, L.D. 761 
SUMMARY 
This amendment allows for rebates for renewable energy technologies to be eligible 
for funding from the Renewable Resource Fund rather than reinstating an assessment on 
electricity for the purpose of providing rebates for certain solar and wind technology, as 
proposed in the bill. The amendment also adds an appropriations and allocations section. 
FISCAL NOTE REQUIRED 
(See attached) 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
Approved: OS/29/11 frac:.. 
LD761 
LR 729(02) 
An Act To Provide Rebates for the Purchase of Certain Solar and Wind Power Equipment 
Fiscal Note for Bill as Amended by Committee Amendment A" 
Committee: Energy, Utilities and Technology 
Appropriations/Allocations 
Other Special Revenue Funds 
Fiscal Detail and Notes 
Fiscal Note Required: Yes 
Fiscal Note 
FY 2011-12 
FY 2012-13 
$0 
$360,000 
Projections 
FY2013-14 
$358,000 
Projections 
FY 2014-15 
$10,000 
This bill allocates funds to the Efficiency Maine Trust (EMT) to utilize existing funds in the Renewable Resource 
Fund and from future annual alternative compliance payments to provide rebates for cost effective renewable 
technologies utilized by government and non-profit entities. The nature of the competitive bidding process for the 
rebates is such that they could first begin in fiscal year 2012-13. The amount of the rebates will drop off markedly in 
fiscal year 2014-15 since the primary funding source, the system benefit charge on electricity, is not reinstated and 
only alternative compliance payment funds would be available on an ongoing basis to support the rebate program. 
Any costs to the EMT associated with adopting rules to implement selection and qualification criteria for the 
competitive bids can be absorbed by the EMT within existing budgeted resources. 
LR0729(02) - Fiscal Note - Page 1 of I