State Renewable Mandate | Green Energy News

April 11, 2004 – Vol.9 No.3

STATE RENEWABLE MANDATE.

The Maryland General Assembly - with a veto-proof margin - has passed a Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS). Under the law 7.5 percent of the power feeding into the grid in that state by 2014 will have to come from renewable sources.

Where exactly the renewable energy will come from is a question. Already there are significant hydro resources in the state. But while Maryland (this Editors’s home) has wind resources in its western mountains, as well as offshore, those two areas are also tourist havens and there will likely be considerable resistance to wind projects.

However the state does have significant farming operations, especially chicken farms on its Eastern shore which could be used for biogas power generation. Further, with the central portion of the state being rapidly urbanized, sewage treatment plants will offer a growing source of biogas fuels.

There may be funding for biogas and wastewater treatment power generation facilities available as well - though some legislative wrangling may be necessary. The state has also established the Chesapeake Restoration Fund which will be financed by a $2.50 per month charge on sewer bills and a $30 per year fee on septic systems. The monies in the Fund from this so-called flush tax will be used to up-grade sewage treatment plants, replace failing septic systems and fund cover crop programs to prevent nutrient runoff from farms into the Chesapeake Bay.

The wrangling would include arguing that methane from sewage treatment plants should be captured in the upgrading process and used as a source of energy. And further discussion could be that runoff from farms could also be reduced if the source of that runoff, often chicken manure used at fertilizer, is used as a biofuel.

In short there seems to be an opportunity for the pieces of legislation to support and build upon each other.

Governor Robert Erlich has not signed the RPS legislation for the state but since it passed by a veto-proof margin, and was supported by the state’s two largest utility companies, he is expected t sign it. With his signature there will be 15 U.S. states with a RPS.