Category — Planning & Development

On August 17, 2010, the Governor of Illinois, Pat Quinn, signed into law new legislation that is expected to help encourage solar energy development, increase the state’s solar energy use, and create new jobs in the state’s renewable energy industry. Referred to as the “Solar Ramp-Up Bill,” House Bill 6202 (“HB 6202”), which was sponsored by Rep. William Burns (D-Chicago) and Sen. Don Harmon (D-Oak Park), amends the Illinois Power Agency Act and the Public Utilities Act by changing the date by which certain utilities must begin purchasing solar energy as part of the state’s renewable energy portfolio from June 1, 2015, to June 1, 2012.  [Read more →]

Last week the Treasury issued new guidance in the form of questions and answers (FAQ) as to when “construction begins” for renewable energy projects that may be eligible for a cash grant in lieu of an investment tax credit under section 1603 of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.  This alert summarizes the Treasury guidance to date on this issue, including the FAQ.  You may access a copy of the new FAQ here, the Treasury Guidance document here and Treasury’s earlier FAQ here. Our prior report on the cash grant program is available here. [Read more →]

The recognized environmental benefit of utilizing renewable sources of energy is the primary driver for investment in renewable energy projects.  However, the development of renewable energy projects may also involve significant environmental challenges as well.  Even “environmentally-friendly” sources of power, such as wind and solar, can have environmental consequences and may also be subject to various environmental laws and regulations.  [Read more →]

On May 18, 2010, the CAISO Board of Governors approved a revised transmission planning process in an attempt to provide transmission necessary to accommodate additional renewable generation.  The CAISO Board also approved new reliability rules for renewable energy resources.
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Since the passage of the Virginia Energy Plan in 2007, Virginia has taken a leadership role nationally to achieve energy independence. [Read more →]