Sec. 207. Expansion of community solar
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Not later than 12 months after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall establish a program to increase the opportunities for participation in community solar programs by— individuals, prioritizing individuals that do not have regular access to onsite solar, including low- and moderate-income individuals and individuals living in energy communities; businesses; nonprofit organizations; and States and local and Tribal governments. The Secretary shall align the program established under paragraph
(1)with existing Federal programs that serve low-income communities. In carrying out the program established under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall— provide technical assistance to eligible entities for projects to increase the number of community solar facilities; assist eligible entities in the development of new and innovative financial and business models that leverage competitive processes in order to serve community solar subscribers; and use National Laboratories to collect and disseminate data to assist private entities in the financing of, subscription to, and operation of community solar programs. The Secretary shall, as the Secretary determines appropriate, expand the existing grant, loan, and financing programs of the Department of Energy to include community solar programs. Section 111(d) of the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 ( 16 U.S.C. 2621(d) ) is amended by adding at the end the following: Each electric utility shall offer a community solar program that provides all ratepayers, including low-income ratepayers, equitable and demonstrable access to such community solar program. For the purposes of this paragraph: The term community solar program means a service provided to any electric consumer that the electric utility serves through which the value of electricity generated by a community solar facility may be used to reduce total charges billed to the electric consumer. The term community solar facility means a solar photovoltaic system that— allocates electricity to multiple electric consumers of an electric utility; is interconnected with the electric grid; and is located either on or off the property of the electric consumers described in subclause (I). . Section 112(b) of the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 ( 16 U.S.C. 2622(b) ) is amended by adding at the end the following: Not later than 12 months after the date of enactment of this paragraph, each State regulatory authority (with respect to each electric utility for which the State has ratemaking authority) and each nonregulated electric utility shall commence consideration under section 111, or set a hearing date for consideration, with respect to the standard established by paragraph
(22)of section 111(d). Not later than 24 months after the date of enactment of this paragraph, each State regulatory authority (with respect to each electric utility for which the State has ratemaking authority), and each nonregulated electric utility shall complete the consideration and make the determination under section 111 with respect to the standard established by paragraph
(22)of section 111(d). . Section 112(c) of the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 ( 16 U.S.C. 2622(c) ) is amended— by striking subsection (b)(2) and inserting subsection
(b); and by adding at the end the following: In the case of the standard established by paragraph
(22)of section 111(d), the reference contained in this subsection to the date of enactment of this Act shall be deemed to be a reference to the date of enactment of that paragraph (22). . Section 112 of the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 ( 16 U.S.C. 2622 ) is amended by adding at the end the following: Subsections
(b)and
(c)shall not apply to the standard established by paragraph
(22)of section 111(d) in the case of any electric utility in a State if, before the date of enactment of this subsection— the State has implemented for the electric utility the standard (or a comparable standard); the State regulatory authority for the State or the relevant nonregulated electric utility has conducted a proceeding to consider implementation of the standard (or a comparable standard) for the electric utility; or the State legislature has voted on the implementation of the standard (or a comparable standard) for the electric utility. . Section 124 of the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 ( 16 U.S.C. 2634 ) is amended by adding at the end the following: In the case of the standard established by paragraph
(22)of section 111(d), the reference contained in this subsection to the date of enactment of this Act shall be deemed to be a reference to the date of enactment of that paragraph (22). . Section 501(b)(1) of title 40, United States Code, is amended by amending subparagraph
(B)to read as follows: A contract under this paragraph for public utility services may be for a period of not more than 30 years. . In this section: The terms community solar facility and community solar program have the meaning give such terms in paragraph
(22)of section 111(d) of the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 ( 16 U.S.C. 2621(d) ), as added by subsection
(c)of this section. The term community solar subscriber means an electricity customer who has ownership of a financial share in a community solar facility that serves multiple consumers. The term eligible entity means— a State or political subdivision of a State; a unit of local government; an Indian Tribe (as defined in section 4 of the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act ( 25 U.S.C. 5304 )); a territory of the United States; or an authority, agency, or instrumentality of, or an entity owned by, 1 or more entities described in subparagraphs
(A)through (D). The term energy community has the meaning given such term in section 45(b)(11) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 ( 26 U.S.C. 45(b)(11) ). The term National Laboratories has the meaning given the term in section 2 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 ( 42 U.S.C. 15801 ). The term Secretary means the Secretary of Energy.
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Sec. 207
Expansion of community solar
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