North American Windpower: House Defeats Renewable Electricity Standard Measure

House Defeats Renewable Electricity Standard Measure

by Laura DiMugno Friday September 21 2012

The U.S. House of Representatives convened Friday morning to consider amendments to the Coal Miner Employment and Domestic Energy Infrastructure Protection Act, legislation that would prohibit the federal government from regulating greenhouse-gas emissions.

Among the amendments to be considered was a measure proposed by Rep. Ed Markey, D-Mass., that would introduce a renewable electricity standard (RES). Under the proposal, electricity suppliers would be required to follow a tiered compliance schedule.

The RES would require that electricity suppliers obtain 8% of their sales from wind; solar; geothermal; renewable biomass; biogas or biofuels derived from renewable biomass; hydropower generated by a hydroelectric facility placed in service after Jan. 1, 2001; marine and hydrokinetic renewable energy; or fuel cells by 2014.

The requirement would then increase incrementally to a 50% renewable energy requirement in the years 2035 through 2040.

Following 10 minutes of debate on the proposed amendment, an informal vote determined that it was defeated. Markey demanded that an official vote be recorded, but the chairman postponed consideration of the amendment to an undetermined time.

On Thursday, the House also rejected two amendments to the coal bill that would extend the wind energy production tax credit, so the measures did not go up for a vote on Friday.

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