Relating to public utilities, including specified energy-efficiency-related programs, tax credits, and responsibilities of the Iowa energy center and office of the consumer advocate

Current law limits to $5 million annually the amount of solar energy tax credits a person may claim. The bill increases this annual amount to $7 million. The bill also allows a person to claim solar energy tax credits in conjunction with devices used to store energy generated by a solar installation. The bill requires the office of the consumer advocate to develop and make available for public use a standard energy cost disclosure statement for utilization by landlords of residential property to communicate to prospective tenants the historical utility service costs for a dwelling unit. The disclosure statement shall include the total annual or average monthly utility service costs and other energy features of a dwelling unit and the building of which it is a part. The bill allows a rate-regulated electric utility to provide for solar energy storage capacity paired with solar energy facility installations in Iowa. Storage capacity based on electrical output may be credited to the utility’s solar energy ownership or purchase requirements as provided in the bill. The Iowa economic development authority shall define by rule the meaning of the term “storage”, consistent with the Iowa energy plan adopted by the authority. Current law requires electric utilities to own alternate energy production facilities or small hydro facilities located in Iowa, or to enter into long-term contracts to purchase electricity from such facilities. An electric utility is not required to own or purchase, at any one time, more than its share of 105 megawatts of power from such facilities. The bill modifies the alternate energy ownership or purchase requirement to make it applicable strictly to solar energy derived from solar energy facilities located in Iowa, and requires an electric utility to own or purchase its share of 105 megawatts of power by January 1, 2023, and 2,500 megawatts of power by January 1, 2027. Of these amounts, a minimum of percent of the energy produced or purchased shall be from solar energy facilities with a nameplate generating capacity of kilowatts or less. The bill makes conforming changes to related provisions. The bill directs the Iowa utilities board to adopt rules allowing for virtual net metering. The bill defines “virtual net metering” as a bill crediting system that allows an electric utility customer to receive credits on their electric bill for energy produced by the electric utility customer’s share of a solar garden. The bill defines “solar garden” as a solar panel installation that provides electricity to multiple electric utility customers and in which an electric utility customer may either purchase or lease solar panels. The bill also directs the board to adopt rules allowing for master metering for owners of a multifamily residence. The bill defines “master metering” as a method of measuring the total usage of public utilities by multiple persons in a multifamily residence that utilizes a device that measures and registers the integral of quantities of public utilities with respect to time. The bill defines “owner” as a person or persons in whom legal title or beneficial ownership and right to present use of a multifamily residence is vested. The bill provides the board shall not approve an owner’s application for master metering unless the application indicates the owner’s ability and intent to provide renewable energy generation, energy efficiency technology, or infrastructure improvements to the multifamily residence. The bill prohibits an owner who successfully applies for master metering from charging tenants of the multifamily residence for their individual public utility usage, or entering into leases with tenants which leases are structured to account for variance in energy usage by the tenants of the multifamily residence.