ROBERT L. EHRLICH, JR., Governor                             Ch. 487

(1)     HYDROELECTRIC POWER OTHER THAN PUMP STORAGE
GENERATION;

(2)      INCINERATION OF POULTRY LITTER, IF THE MARYLAND ENERGY
ADMINISTRATION AND THE MARYLAND DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE DETERMINE
THAT THERE IS A SUFFICIENT QUANTITY OF POULTRY LITTER AVAILABLE FOR THE
ECONOMICAL VIABILITY OF ANY EXISTING AND OPERATING ENTITY THAT IS SITED
ON THE DELMARVA PENINSULA AND THAT, AS OF JULY 1, 2004, PROCESSES AND
PASTEURIZES CHICKEN LITTER AS FERTILIZER; AND

(2) (3) WASTE-TO-ENERGY.
7-702.

(A)     IT IS THE INTENT OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY TO:

(1)      RECOGNIZE THE ECONOMIC, ENVIRONMENTAL, FUEL DIVERSITY,
AND SECURITY BENEFITS OF RENEWABLE ENERGY RESOURCES;

(2)      ESTABLISH A MARKET FOR ELECTRICITY FROM THESE RESOURCES
IN MARYLAND; AND

(3)      LOWER THE COST TO CONSUMERS OF ELECTRICITY PRODUCED
FROM THESE RESOURCES.

(B)     THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY FINDS THAT:

(1)      THE BENEFITS OF ELECTRICITY FROM RENEWABLE ENERGY
RESOURCES, INCLUDING LONG-TERM DECREASED EMISSIONS, A HEALTHIER
ENVIRONMENT, INCREASED ENERGY SECURITY, AND DECREASED RELIANCE ON AND
VULNERABILITY FROM IMPORTED ENERGY SOURCES, ACCRUE TO THE PUBLIC AT
LARGE; AND

(2)      ELECTRICITY SUPPLIERS AND CONSUMERS SHARE AN OBLIGATION
TO DEVELOP A MINIMUM LEVEL OF THESE RESOURCES IN THE ELECTRICITY SUPPLY
PORTFOLIO OF THE STATE.

7-703.

(A) (1) (I) THE COMMISSION SHALL IMPLEMENT A RENEWABLE ENERGY
PORTFOLIO STANDARD THAT, EXCEPT AS PROVIDED UNDER PARAGRAPH (2) OF THIS
SUBSECTION, APPLIES TO ALL RETAIL ELECTRICITY SALES IN THE STATE BY
ELECTRICITY SUPPLIERS.

(II) IF THE STANDARD BECOMES APPLICABLE TO ELECTRICITY
SOLD TO A CUSTOMER AFTER THE START OF A CALENDAR YEAR, THE STANDARD
DOES NOT APPLY TO ELECTRICITY SOLD TO THE CUSTOMER DURING THAT PORTION
OF THE YEAR BEFORE THE STANDARD BECAME APPLICABLE.

(2) A RENEWABLE ENERGY PORTFOLIO STANDARD MAY NOT APPLY TO
ELECTRICITY SALES AT RETAIL BY ANY ELECTRICITY SUPPLIER:

(I) IN EXCESS OF 300,000,000 KILOWATT-HOURS OF INDUSTRIAL
PROCESS LOAD TO A SINGLE CUSTOMER IN A YEAR;

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