Relating to solar energy by establishing a shared solar net metering cooperative program

This bill establishes a shared solar net metering cooperative program. The bill specifies that an “electric utility” for purposes of the bill is a public utility that provides electricity to the public for compensation and is required to be rate-regulated under Code chapter 476. The bill defines “shared solar net metering cooperative” or “cooperative” to mean a distributed generation facility that generates electricity through ground-mounted or roof-mounted solar panels whereby subscribers may receive bill credits for the electricity generated in proportion to the size of the customer’s subscription. The bill defines “subscriber” to mean a customer of an electric utility who owns at least one share of a subscription to a shared solar net metering cooperative. The bill defines “subscription” to mean a proportional contractual interest in a shared solar net metering cooperative, including tax credits for which the cooperative may be eligible. The bill provides that a shared solar net metering cooperative program is established to encourage and enhance solar energy generation and the ability of electric public utility customers to participate in and derive benefit from alternate solar energy projects. The bill provides that electric utility customers may become subscribers of shared solar net metering cooperatives by which subscribers may own the solar energy produced at a location other than the location where the customer has an electricity meter. Customers shall receive a credit in proportion to the customer’s subscription.49. A subscriber’s portion of the electricity purchased by the utility shall be credited to the subscriber’s account with the utility. The bill provides that the Iowa utilities commission shall develop interconnection agreements for utilization by a shared solar net metering cooperative interconnecting with the utility. The bill provides that a shared solar net metering cooperative may consist of subscribers located within miles of the cooperative, shall not consist of out-of-state subscribers, and shall interconnect exclusively with one electric utility. The bill provides that a subscriber may include all of the subscriber’s electricity meters in the cooperative. The bill provides that a shared solar net metering cooperative shall be limited to subscribers per cooperative with some or all of the subscribers having alternative energy production facilities that produce solar energy. Each subscriber shall be a customer of the same utility and shall have at least one electricity meter. The bill provides that shared solar net metering cooperatives may be owned by investors. The bill requires the Iowa utilities commission to adopt rules regarding implementation of the bill’s provisions.