Title 39
Public Utilities and Carriers

Chapter 26.2
Distributed Generation Standard Contracts

§ 39-26.2-3. Definitions.

When used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the following meanings:

(1) “Annual target” means the target for total renewable energy nameplate capacity of new distributed-generation standard contracts set out in § 39-26.2-4.

(2) “Board” shall mean the distributed generation standard contract board established pursuant to the provisions of § 39-26.2-10, or the office of energy resources. Until such time as the board is duly constituted, the office of energy resources shall serve as the board with the same powers and duties pursuant to this chapter.

(3) “Commission” means the Rhode Island public utilities commission.

(4) “Distributed-generation contract capacity” means ten percent (10%) of an electric distribution company’s minimum long-term contract capacity under the long-term contracting standard for renewable energy in § 39-26.1-3, inclusive of solar capacity. The distributed-generation contract capacity shall be reserved for acquisition by the electric distribution company through standard contracts pursuant to the provisions of this chapter.

(5) “Distributed-generation facility” means an electrical-generation facility that is a newly developed renewable energy resource as defined in § 39-26.1-2, located in the electric distribution company’s load zone with a nameplate capacity no greater than five megawatts (5 MW), using eligible renewable energy resources as defined by § 39-26-5, including biogas created as a result of anaerobic digestion, but, specifically excluding all other listed eligible biomass fuels, and connected to an electrical power system owned, controlled, or operated by the electric distribution company.

(6) “Distributed-generation project” means a distinct installation of a distributed-generation facility. An installation will be considered distinct if it is installed in a different geographical location and at a different time, or if it involves a different type of renewable energy class.

(7) “Electric distribution company” means a company defined in § 39-1-2(a)(12), supplying standard-offer service, last-resort service, or any successor service to end-use customers, but not including the Block Island Power Company or the Pascoag Utility District.

(8) “Large distributed-generation project” means a distributed-generation project that has a nameplate capacity that exceeds the size of a small distributed-generation project in a given year, but is no greater than three megawatts (3 MW) nameplate capacity.

(9) “Office” means the Rhode Island office of energy resources.

(10) “Program year” means a calendar year beginning January 1 and ending December 31.

(11) “Renewable energy classes” means categories for different renewable energy technologies using eligible renewable energy resources as defined by § 39-26-5. For each program year, the board shall determine the renewable energy classes as are reasonably feasible for use in meeting distributed-generation objectives from renewable energy resources and are consistent with the goal of meeting the annual target for the program year. For the program year ending December 31, 2012, there shall be at least four (4) technology classes and at least two (2) shall be for solar-generation technology, and at least one shall be for wind. The board may add, eliminate, or adjust renewable energy classes for each program year with public notice given at least sixty (60) days previous to any renewable energy class change becoming effective. For each program year, the board shall set renewable energy class targets for each class established. Class targets are the total program-year target amounts of nameplate capacity reserved for standard contracts for each renewable energy class. The sum of all the class targets shall equal the annual target.

(12) “Renewable energy credit” means a New England Generation Information System renewable energy certificate as defined in § 39-26-2(14);

(13) “Small distributed-generation project” means a distributed-generation, renewable energy project that has a nameplate capacity within the following: Solar: fifty kilowatts (50 KW) to five hundred kilowatts (500 KW); Wind: fifty kilowatts (50 KW) to one and one-half megawatts (1.5 MW). For technologies other than solar and wind, the board shall set the nameplate capacity size limits, but such limits may not exceed one megawatt. The board may lower the nameplate capacity from year to year for any of these categories, but may not increase the capacity beyond what is specified in this definition. In no case may a project developer be allowed to segment a distributed-generation project into smaller-sized projects in order to fall under this definition.

(14) “Standard contract” means a contract with a term of fifteen (15) years at a fixed rate for the purchase of all capacity, energy, and attributes generated by a distributed-generation facility. A contract may have a different term if it is mutually agreed to by the seller and the electric distribution company and it is approved by the commission. The terms of the standard contract for each program year and for each renewable energy class shall be set pursuant to the provisions of this chapter.

(15) “Standard contract ceiling price” means the standard contract price for the output of a distributed-generation facility which price is approved annually for each renewable energy class pursuant to the procedure established in this chapter, for the purchase of energy, capacity, renewable energy certificates, and all other environmental attributes and market products that are available or may become available from the distributed-generation facility.