HB 1227 - Renewable Energy

• Excludes entities that exclusively produce or sell renewable energy from the definition of "public utility," except those receiving advanced cost recovery

• Requires public utilities to continuously offer purchase contracts to renewable energy producers at rates equal to what utilities charge ratepayers for energy, based on full avoided costs for capacity

• Establishes virtual net metering for multi-tenant or multi-metered properties, allowing utilities to allocate renewable energy credits to individual accounts based on prearranged agreements with no production limits

• Permits renewable energy producers within microgrids to opt out of electric utility connections, prohibiting regulatory bodies from requiring grid connection or imposing penalties for non-connection

• Effective July 1, 2015