Washington State House of Representatives Office of Program Research | BILL ANALYSIS |
Technology & Economic Development Committee |
SSB 6028
This analysis was prepared by non-partisan legislative staff for the use of legislative members in their deliberations. This analysis is not a part of the legislation nor does it constitute a statement of legislative intent. |
Brief Description: Declaring electricity from a generation facility powered by the combustion of solid waste in a municipally owned energy recovery facility to be an eligible renewable resource for the purposes of chapter 19.285 RCW, the energy independence act.
Sponsors: Senate Committee on Energy, Environment & Telecommunications (originally sponsored by Senator Baumgartner).
Brief Summary of Substitute Bill |
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Hearing Date: 2/25/14
Staff: Scott Richards (786-7156).
Background:
Energy Independence Act.
Approved by voters in 2006, the Energy Independence Act (EIA), also known as Initiative 937 or I-937, requires qualifying electric utilities to meet targets for energy conservation and for using eligible renewable resources.
Qualifying Utilities. Under the EIA, qualifying utilities are electric utilities with 25,000 or more customers in the state.
Eligible Renewable Resource Targets and Compliance Dates. Each qualifying utility must use eligible renewable resources or acquire equivalent renewable energy credits, or a combination of both, to meet the following annual targets:
at least 3 percent of its load by January 1, 2012, and each year thereafter through December 31, 2015;
at least 9 percent of its load by January 1, 2016, and each year thereafter through December 31, 2019; and
at least 15 percent of its load by January 1, 2020, and each year thereafter.
Eligible Renewable Resource. The term eligible renewable resource means electricity generated from a resource such as wind, solar, specified biomass, wave and tidal power, specified incremental hydroelectricity, and certain types of biomass energy. In addition, an eligible renewable resource must generally be produced in a facility that started operating after March 31, 1999, and the facility must either be located in the Pacific Northwest or the electricity from the facility must be delivered into the state on a real-time basis.
Energy Recovery.
Under the solid waste management laws, solid waste means all putrescible and nonputrescible solid and semisolid wastes including, but not limited to, garbage, rubbish, ashes, industrial wastes, swill, sewage sludge, demolition and construction wastes, abandoned vehicles or parts thereof, and recyclable materials. Electricity may be generated from burning solid waste in an energy recovery facility. Energy recovery means a process operating under federal and state environmental laws and regulations for converting solid waste into usable energy and for reducing the volume of solid waste.
According to a Department of Ecology database, the City of Spokane owns the only energy recovery facility in the state that is currently generating electricity by burning solid waste, and it has been doing so since 1991.
Summary of Bill:
Combustion of Solid Waste as an Eligible Renewable Resource.
The following is defined as an eligible renewable resource under the EIA: Electricity from a generation facility, which commences operation after September 1, 1991, that is powered by the combustion of solid waste in a municipally-owned energy recovery facility located on a business park owned and operated under the provisions of Washington law governing municipal airports, when the facility's air emissions do not exceed permitted levels, and periodic and verified total polychlorinated biphenyl air emissions do not exceed levels that could contribute to increased polychlorinated biphenyl levels in local water bodies.
Defining Terms.
The terms energy recovery and solid waste have the same meaning as under the solid waste management laws.
Appropriation: None.
Fiscal Note: Not requested.
Effective Date: The bill takes effect 90 days after adjournment of the session in which the bill is passed.