SECTION 1. Chapter 21A of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after section 28 the following section:-

Section 29. (a) The office, in coordination with the department of energy resources, shall establish a program to encourage the construction and operation of solar power generating canopies over large parking lots. The program shall be designed to contribute to the state's greenhouse gas emission reduction requirements and increase overall renewable energy generation, as well as provide shade and weather protection to both the vehicles under the canopies and people moving from their cars into the buildings served by the parking lot.

(b) The program shall include:

(i) incentives to encourage the construction and operation of solar power generating canopies and co-located energy storage facilities, which may include construction requirements, incentive payments, tax reductions or deferrals, expedited interconnection requirements, zoning or other regulatory preferences, which may include increasing the amount of the incentive through the state’s current or future solar incentive program for solar panels mounted on parking lot canopies; or other financial or regulatory incentives;

(ii) a definition of qualifying parking lots, which may be phased in over time;

(iii) minimum electric generation capacity requirements; and

(iv) such other criteria and conditions necessary for an efficient and effective solar power generating canopies over large commercial parking lots program that significantly increases the use of solar-generated power in the commonwealth.

(c) In designing the program, the department shall:

(i) consult with an advisory working group to make recommendations concerning the design and operation of the program. The members of the advisory working group shall be appointed by the secretary and shall include a representative of the division of energy resources, who shall chair the working group, and a representative of the commercial real estate industry; a representative of organized labor, a representative of the solar energy industry, a representative of an environmental group concerned with energy, a representative of the construction industry, a representative of an electric utility or organization representing electric utilities, a representative of local government, a person with expertise in energy siting, and a person with expertise in solar energy and energy efficiency; ;

(ii) review the design and operation of parking lot solar energy incentive programs proposed or in operation in other jurisdictions, including in the state of Washington, Hawaii, California, and France; and

(iii) hold not fewer than 3 public hearings in different regions of the commonwealth to receive public testimony and input on the program.

(d) The department shall promulgate regulations as necessary to implement the program.

(e) If statutory changes are necessary to implement the program, the department shall make specific recommendations to the general court for required changes in statutes.

SECTION 2. The advisory working group for the program to encourage the construction and operation of solar power generating canopies over large parking lots under section 29 of chapter 21A of the General Laws shall make its recommendations no later than 1 year after the effective date of this act. The department shall implement said section 29 of said chapter 21A no later than 2 years after the effective date of this act.