Virginia Lawmakers Mull Slew of Clean Energy, Storage Bills

As Virginia lawmakers weigh energy legislation, new measures were still being introduced and worked on in committee on Friday, Ivy Main, a state lobbyist with the Sierra Club, wrote in The Energy Collective.

Among others, Virginia lawmakers are considering bills to change local tax treatment for renewable energy, open investment access, broaden community solar initiatives, repeal standby charges for net metering, and develop energy storage programs and research consortiums. 

Connecticut Gov. Malloy Signs 2 Landmark Energy Bills Into Law

Even before Gov. Dannel P. Malloy signed key energy legislation into law on Monday, Connecticut's three regulated natural gas companies and a Houston energy company asked regulators to OK expansion plans that anticipated the state's new push for natural gas.

MLPs Under Consideration to Finance VT Renewable Energy

Vermont has introduced legislation intended to make renewable energy projects easier to finance.

Representative Peter Welch's Master Limited Partnership Parity Act would allow renewable energy companies to take advantage of master limited partnerships (MLP) -- a key financing tool used by the energy sector, which has driven investments in oil, gas, and coal projects for nearly 30 years.

Florida energy bill becomes law, includes biofuel tax exemptions

New energy legislation in the state of Florida became law April 14 despite Florida Gov. Rick Scott’s failure to sign the bill. The legislation, HB 7117, contains several measures aimed to encourage the development and expansion of the renewable energy sector within the state, including biofuels production and distribution. The bill also addresses policies and restrictions for growing certain strains of algae and cyanobacteria.

The bill specifically addresses biodiesel, ethanol and renewable fuel, which is defined as a fuel produced from biomass that is used to displace fossil transportation fuels. Under the legislation, a sales tax exemption is established for materials used in the distribution of B10-B100, E10-E100 and other renewables.