On October 1, the House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee reported out legislation codifying decommissioning best practices for utility-scale solar energy facilities and two bills regulating the land application of food processing waste on farms.

The Committee postponed action on House Bill 2277 (Otten-D-Chester), the PA Reliable Energy Sustainability Standard (PRESS) is the Governor’s Energy Plan that would diversify energy generation, improve grid reliability, lower consumer costs by avoiding energy price spikes and create energy-related jobs.

Solar Decommissioning

Senate Bill 211 (Yaw-R-Lycoming) would set decommissioning standards for utility-scale solar energy facilities that reflect current best practices of the solar industry in Pennsylvania.

The bill is far different from the legislation Sen. Gene Yaw (R-Lycoming) introduced in 2021-- Senate Bill 284-- when this concept was first discussed.

As a result, Senate Bill 211 is now supported by the solar energy industry working in the state.

Requiring bonding and a decommissioning plan for when solar energy facilities reach the end of their useful life is a unique approach to electric generation facilities.

Coal and natural gas-fired power plants that represent 91% of Pennsylvania’s electric generation capacity have nothing remotely like these requirements.  As a result, when they reach the end of their usefulness, communities are left with the considerable challenge of what to do with them.

Nuclear power plants do have decommissioning requirements and have to set aside funds when they are operating for decontamination and decommissioning.

Food Processing Waste

The Committee approved amendments to both the food processing waste bills--

-- House Bill 2393 (Friel-D-Chester) setting standards for the storage or land application of food processing residual waste on farms.  An amendment is expected.

-- House Bill 2594 (Friel-D-Chester) providing for the certification of food processing residual waste haulers and brokers.

The legislation approved by the Committee was reported to the full House and Tabled.

Rep. Greg Vitali (D-Delaware) serves as Majority Chair of the House Environmental Committee and can be contacted by calling 717-787-7647 or sending email to: gvitali@pahouse.net. Rep. Martin Causer (R-Cameron) serves as Minority Chair and can be contacted by calling 717-787-5075 or by sending email to: mcauser@pahousegop.com.

(Photo: Penn State University Franklin County solar energy facility.)

Resource Link:

-- House Committee Meets Oct. 1 To Consider Bill To Diversify Energy Generation, Improve Grid Reliability, Lower Consumer Energy Costs  [PaEN]

Related Articles:

-- House Environmental Committee Moves Solar Energy Facility Decommissioning Best Practices; Food Processing Waste Bills  [PaEN]

-- PennFuture: Lawmakers Move Bill To Require Clean Solar Energy Facilities To Have Bonds; But Fail To Have Adequate Plugging Bonds For Dirty Oil & Gas Wells Leaving Taxpayers To Pick Up The Cost  [PaEN]

-- Pittsburgh Business Times: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Flips Switch On First Of 3 Massive Solar Energy Projects In Fayette, Somerset Counties To Add 43 MW To PJM Grid

-- Centre County Recycling & Refuse Authority Receives $75,000 West Penn Energy Fund Grant For Solar Energy Array; Will Save $2 Million Over 25 Years; Power Renewable Gas Facility  [PaEN]

-- Stroud Water Research Center Receives $141,000 Grant From Green Mountain Energy Sun Club For New 55-Kilowatt Rooftop Solar Energy System  [PaEN]

-- Post-Gazette: USDA Announces Major Investments In Rural Communities: Somerset Farmer’s Solar Energy Project Highlighted 

-- Sen. Yaw Introduces Bill To Prohibit State Government From Owning Any Clean Energy Credits; Would Force The Use Of More Taxpayer Money To Plug Conventional Oil & Gas Wells Routinely Abandoned By Conventional Well Owners  [PaEN]

-- No False Solutions PA Coalition: 2nd Carbon Dioxide Leak Reported At ADM Carbon Capture Plant In Illinois, Delay In Notifying Public  Should Give PA Pause On Carbon Capture Storage  [PaEN]

NewsClips:

-- WITF StateImpactPA - Rachel McDevitt: PA Solar Energy Companies Would Need Plan For Eventual Cleanup Under Bill In State House

-- Observer-Reporter: New Solar Farms Look To Shine Bright In Southwestern PA [Mitsubishi Solar Energy Facilities]   [PDF of Article]

-- Post-Gazette: Massive Solar Farms Are Eating Up Acreage Across Rural PA Triggering Fear, Anger, Heated Disputes  [PDF of Article]

-- WITF StateImpactPA - Rachel McDevitt: Solar Co-Op Aims To Lower Cost For Rooftop Solar In Dauphin, Cumberland Counties

-- Tribune-Democrat: Upper Yoder Twp. Drawing Up Regulations For Possible Solar Energy Facilities

-- Williamsport Sun Editorial: Old Lycoming Twp. Solar Energy Facility Permit Good For Energy Needs, Liberty

-- Philadelphia Solar Energy Assn.: Nov. 2 Teacher Training For Junior Solar Sprint

-- WHYY: Wilmington’s Hagley Museum Using Historic Dams Along Brandywine River To Get Off Electric Grid

-- WITF StateImpactPA - Rachel McDevitt: ‘Life Waste’ Is A Musical Tour Of The Potential Of Biogas [Dickinson College Farm Methane Digester]

[Posted: October 1, 2024]

10/7/2024