The bill updating Vermont’s Renewable Energy Standard (RES), H.289, reached the Senate Floor on Friday. Senator Bray, on behalf of the Natural Resources Committee, recommended they concur with the House version of the bill. He called this an “incremental version” of the RES that they started in 2015 (a 2.0 as it were). He argued that times are changing, and needs are changing, this bill advances the timeline for reaching 100% renewable & in-state generation to 2030. There had been different stakeholders who do not agree (utilities and solar/wind developers) on how to do this. They formed a committee to look at this over the summer and came to an agreement. The result, he claimed, was H.289.

Senator Bray announced on Friday morning that the Senate Natural Resources Committee was resuming its work on H.289, which increases the targets of the state’s Renewable Energy Standard (RES).

Representatives Walker and Harrison joined the House Energy and Environment Committee on Thursday to propose an amendment to H.289. The amendment would attempt to target new generation facilities in areas that already have additional distribution capacity. In areas where additional distribution capacity is necessary, the amendment would protect ratepayers from bearing the cost of these upgrades.