Solar garden legislation sprouts as it passes first hurdle in House committee

Environment Colorado

Solar garden legislation sprouts as it passes first hurdle in House committee

Denver, CO – House Bill 1342 passed today in the Colorado House Transportation and Energy Committee on a bipartisan vote of 9-2. The “Community Solar Garden” bill, is sponsored by Representative Claire Levy (D-Boulder.
Under existing rules, homeowners receive rebates and renewable energy credits from investor-owned utilities when they install solar energy systems on their property. The “Community Solar Gardens” bill directs the Colorado Public Utilities Commission to adopt new rules to ensure that such benefits also apply to community solar gardens, solar facilities jointly owned by ten or more customers at a shared location. The bill will help customers generate solar power when installing solar panels on their own properties is not feasible because of cost, the physical characteristics of their sites, their status as renters, or other factors.
“Colorado is on the cutting edge of harnessing the sun to power our homes and businesses, ranches and farms. As the “Community Solar Garden” bill blooms, more Coloradans will be able to plug into our vast solar resources.”

 “The sun provides more energy in an hour than all the coal mines and oil wells do in a year,” said Pam Kiely, program director for Environment Colorado. “Whether you live in a condo in Denver or rent a house in Salida, Community Solar Gardens enable every Coloradan to generate their own clean and affordable electricity.”