PLEASE NOTE: Legislative Information cannot perform research, provide legal advice, or interpret Maine law. For legal assistance, please contact a qualified attorney.
An Act To Encourage the Use of Solar Energy
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1. 35-A MRSA §3211-C, sub-§3,  as reallocated by RR 2005, c. 1, §17, is amended to read:
 
3. Funding level; fund.   The commission shall assess transmission and distribution utilities to collect funds for the solar energy rebate program in accordance with this subsection. The amount of all assessments by the commission under this subsection must result in total program expenditures by each transmission and distribution utility that do not exceed 0.005 cent per kilowatt-hour. To the extent practicable, the commission shall establish and collect the assessment in a manner that is consistent with the assessment made under section 3211-A. The commission shall establish a solar energy rebate program fund to be used solely for the purposes of this section. All assessments made under this subsection are deposited in the fund. Any interest on funds in the fund must be credited to the fund. Funds not spent in any fiscal year remain in the fund to be used for the purposes of this section. In each fiscal year, 25%75% of the fund is allotted to solar photovoltaic system rebates and 75%25% of the fund is allotted to solar thermal system rebates.
Sec. 2. 35-A MRSA §3211-C, sub-§6,  as reallocated by RR 2005, c. 1, §17, is amended to read:
 
6. Limitation to residents of State; repeal.   Participation in the solar energy rebate program and fund established in this section is limited to residents of the State. This section is repealed December 31, 20082012.
Sec. 3. Appropriations and allocations. The following appropriations and allocations are made.
 
PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION
 
Solar Rebate Program Fund Z012
 
Initiative: Appropriates ongoing additional funds for solar photovoltaic system rebates.

GENERAL FUND	2007-08	2008-09	
All Other	$1,500,000	$1,500,000	
 	  	  	
GENERAL FUND TOTAL	$1,500,000	$1,500,000	

SUMMARY
This bill increases the amount set aside for solar photovoltaic system rebates from 25% to 75% of the amount assessed the transmission and distribution utilities for the solar energy rebate program and extends the solar energy rebate program until December 31, 2012. This bill also makes ongoing General Fund appropriations of $1,500,000 in fiscal years 2007-08 and 2008-09 for solar photovoltaic system rebates.