by Jbs072209 d3 — July 24, 2009—The states of Kansas and West Virginia recently adopted their first mandatory requirements for renewable energy use through so-called renewable energy standards, while Maine and Nevada have boosted the requirements under their renewable energy standards, according to news from the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE).
The Kansas legislation requires the state’s utilities to draw on renewable energy to meet 10 percent of their peak demand by 2011, 15 percent by 2019, and 20 percent by 2020. New facilities earn 10 percent extra credit toward the requirement.
Since West Virginia is a coal state, its new credit-based system allows for both renewable energy and mostly coal-based “alternative energy resources” such as waste coal, coal bed methane, natural gas, tire-derived fuel, and pumped storage hydropower to meet its new standard.
The state requires its electric utilities to hold credits for at least 10 percent of their retail sales by 2015, increasing to 15 percent by 2020 and 25 percent by 2025.
Maine has passed legislation that provides a 50 percent extra credit toward its renewable energy standard for community-based renewable energy projects.
Nevada has simply extended its renewable energy standard, which previously topped out at 20 percent for 2015 and after. Under the new legislation, the standard increases to 22 percent by 2020 and to 25 percent by 2025.
