52 Pa. Code § 75.63 - Alternative energy credit certification

(a) An alternative energy credit may be certified by the Commission for each MWh of electricity generated by qualified alternative energy systems on or after February 28, 2005.

(b) An alternative energy credit may be certified by the Commission for each MWh of electricity conserved by qualified alternative energy systems or demand side management on or after November 30, 2004.

(c) An alternative energy credit may not be certified for a MWh of electricity generation or electricity conservation that has already been used to satisfy another state's renewable energy portfolio standard, alternative energy portfolio standard or other comparable standard.

(d) An alternative energy credit already purchased by individuals, businesses or government bodies that do not have a compliance obligation under the act may not be certified for a MWh of electricity generation or electricity conservation unless the individual, business or government body sells those credits to the EDC or EGS.

(e) When an alternative energy system relies on more than one fuel source or technology, alternative energy credits shall be certified for that portion of the electric generation that is derived from an alternative energy fuel source or technology.

(f) For all alternative energy systems except solar photovoltaic systems with a nameplate capacity of 15 kilowatts or less, alternative energy credit certification shall be verified by metered data obtained from or by one of the following:

(1) An RTO.

(2) The credits registry designated under § 75.70 (relating to alternative energy credit registry).

(3) The administrator designated under § 75.64 (relating to alternative energy credit program administrator).

(g) For solar photovoltaic alternative energy systems with a nameplate capacity of 15 kW or less that are installed or that increase nameplate capacity on or after May 18, 2017, alternative energy credit certification shall be verified by the administrator designated under § 75.64 using metered data. For solar photovoltaic alternative energy systems with a nameplate capacity of 15 kW or less that are installed before May 18, 2017, alternative energy credit certification shall be verified by the administrator using either metered data or estimates. The use of estimates is subject to the following conditions:

(1) A revenue grade meter has not been installed to measure the output of the alternative energy system.

(2) The alternative energy system has not used actual meter or other monitoring system readings for determining system output in the past.

(3) The solar photovoltaic alternative energy system has either a fixed solar orientation or a one-axis or two-axis automated solar tracking system.

(4) The solar photovoltaic alternative energy system is comprised of crystalline silicon modules or a type of module that meets the criteria of the program used by the program administrator to calculate the estimates.

(5) The program administrator has deemed the solar photovoltaic alternative energy system eligible to utilize estimates based on the verified output of the alternative energy system.

(h) An alternative energy credit represents the attributes of 1 MWh of electric generation that may be used to satisfy the requirements of § 75.61 (relating to EDC and EGS obligations). The alternative energy credit shall remain the property of the alternative energy system until voluntarily transferred. A certified alternative energy credit does not automatically include environmental, emissions or other attributes associated with 1 MWh of electric generation. Parties may bundle the attributes unrelated to compliance with § 75.61 with an alternative energy credit, or, alternatively, sell, assign or trade them separately.

(i) An alternative energy system may begin to earn alternative energy credits on the date a complete application is filed with the administrator, provided that a meter or inverter reading is included with the application.

(j) An alternative energy system application may be rejected if the applicant does not respond to a program administrator request for information or data within 90 days. An application that is not approved within 180 days of its submission due to the applicant's failure to provide information or data to the program administrator will be deemed rejected unless affirmatively held open by the program administrator.

(k) Alternative energy system generation or conservation data entered into the credit registry will be allocated to the compliance year in which the generation or conservation occurred to ensure that alternative energy credits are certified with the correct vintage year.

Notes

52 Pa. Code § 75.63

The provisions of this § 75.63 amended November 18, 2016, effective 11/19/2016, 46 Pa.B. 7277, 7448.

The provisions of this § 75.63 amended under 66 Pa.C.S. § § 501, 1501 and 2807(e); and sections 1648.7(a) and 1648.3(e)(2) of the Alternative Energy Portfolio Standards Act of 2004 (73 P.S. § § 1648.7(a) and 1648.3(e)(2)).

This section cited in 52 Pa. Code § 75.64 (relating to alternative energy credit program administrator).