Sec. 29.
(1) Subject to subsection (2), a renewable energy system that is the source of renewable energy credits used to satisfy the renewable energy standards shall be either located outside of this state in the retail electric customer service territory of any provider that is not an alternative electric supplier or located anywhere in this state. For the purposes of this subsection, a retail electric customer service territory shall be considered to be the territory recognized by the commission on January 1, 2008 and any expansion of retail electric customer service territory recognized by the commission after January 1, 2008 under 1939 PA 3, MCL 460.1 to 460.11. The commission may also expand a service territory for the purposes of this subsection if a lack of transmission lines limits the ability to obtain sufficient renewable energy from renewable energy systems that meet the location requirement of this subsection.
(2) The renewable energy system location requirements in subsection (1) do not apply if 1 or more of the following requirements are met:
(a) The renewable energy system is a wind energy conversion system and the electricity generated by the wind energy system, or the renewable energy credits associated with that electricity, is being purchased under a contract in effect on January 1, 2008. If the electricity and associated renewable energy credits purchased under such a contract are used by an electric provider to meet renewable energy requirements established after January 1, 2008 by the legislature of the state in which the wind energy conversion system is located, the electric provider may, for the purpose of meeting the renewable energy credit standard under this act, obtain, by any means authorized under section 28, up to the same number of replacement renewable energy credits from any other wind energy conversion systems located in that state. This subdivision shall not be utilized by an alternative electric supplier unless the alternative electric supplier was licensed in this state on January 1, 2008. Renewable energy credits from a renewable energy system under a contract with an alternative electric supplier under this subdivision shall not be used by another electric provider to meet its requirements under this part.
(b) The renewable energy system is a wind energy conversion system that was under construction or operational and owned by an electric provider on January 1, 2008. This subdivision shall not be utilized by an alternative electric supplier.
(c) The renewable energy system is a wind energy conversion system that includes multiple wind turbines, at least 1 of the wind turbines meets the location requirements of this section, and the remaining wind turbines are within 15 miles of a wind turbine that is part of that wind energy conversion system and that meets the location requirements of this section.
(d) Before January 1, 2008, an electric provider serving not more than 75,000 retail electric customers in this state filed an application for a certificate of authority for the renewable energy system with a state regulatory commission in another state that is also served by the electric provider. However, renewable energy credits shall not be granted under this subdivision for electricity generated using more than 10.0 megawatts of nameplate capacity of the renewable energy system.
(e) Electricity generated from the renewable energy system is sold by a not-for-profit entity located in Indiana, Ohio, or Wisconsin to a municipally-owned electric utility in this state or cooperative electric utility in this state, and the electricity is not being used to meet another state's standard for renewable energy.
(f) All of the following requirements are met:
(i) The renewable energy system is a wind energy system, is interconnected to the electric provider's transmission system, and is located in a state in which the electric provider has service territory.
(ii) The electric provider competitively bid any contract for engineering, procurement, or construction of the renewable energy system, if the electric provider owns the renewable energy system, or for purchase of the renewable energy and associated renewable energy credits from the renewable energy system, if the provider does not own the renewable energy system, in a process open to renewable energy systems sited in this state.
(iii) The renewable energy credits from the renewable energy system are only used by that electric provider to meet the renewable energy standard.
(iv) The electric provider is not an alternative electric supplier.
History: 2008, Act 295, Imd. Eff. Oct. 6, 2008 ;-- Am. 2016, Act 342, Eff. Apr. 20, 2017
Compiler's Notes: Enacting section 1 of Act 295 of 2008 provides: "Enacting section 1. As provided in section 5 of 1846 RS 1, MCL 8.5, this act is severable."