Budget Amendment ID: FY2017-S4-930

ENV 930

Community-Shared and Low-Income Solar Net Metering

Mr. Eldridge, Ms. L'Italien, Mr. Donnelly and Ms. Creem moved that the proposed new text be amended by inserting after Section XX the following section:-

SECTION XX. Section 1. Section 5 of Chapter 75 of the Acts of 2016 is hereby amended by striking out, line XXX the figure “7” and inserting in place thereof the following figure:- “10”.

Section 2. Section 139 of Chapter 164 of the General Laws is hereby amended by adding after subsection (h) the following subsection:-

(i)Any community-shared solar faclility or low-income solar net metering facility shall be exempt from the aggregate net metering capacity of facilities that are not net metering facilities of a municipality or other government entity under subsection (f).

Section 3. Section 138 of Chapter 164 of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after the definition of “Class III net metering facility” the following definition:-

“community-shared solar facility”,  any solar facility that provides net metering credits to three or more utility accounts, whose participants have an interest in the production of the solar facility or the entity that owns the facility, in the form of formal ownership, a lease agreement, or a net metering contract. No more than two participants may receive net metering credits in excess of those produced annually by 25 kW of nameplate DC capacity, and the combined share of said participants’ capacity shall not exceed 50 per cent of the total capacity of the solar facility.

Section 4. Section 138 of chapter 164 of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after the definition of “Customer” the following definition:-

“Low-income solar net metering facility”, any solar facility that sells or delivers all of its net metering credits or electricity to: (i) providers or residents of publicly assisted housing, as defined under section 1 of chapter 40T; (ii) persons whose income or circumstances would qualify them for an electric distribution company discount rate under section 1F(4) of chapter 164; or (iii) entities primarily serving such persons.

Section 5. Section 3 of chapter 75 of the Acts of 2016 is hereby amended by inserting after “governmental entity” the following words:- community-shared solar facilities, or low-income solar net metering facilities,