Pennsylvania SB 501: An Act amending the act of November 30, 2004 (P.L.1672, No.213), known as the Alternative Energy Portfolio Standards Act, further providing for definitions; providing for force majeure; further providing for alternative energy portfolio standards, for portfolio requirements in other states, for health and safety standards and for interagency responsibilities; providing for zero emissions credits; and making editorial changes.

Bill Text

PRINTER'S NO. 771
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
SENATE BILL
No. 501
Session of
2025
INTRODUCED BY SANTARSIERO, KANE, STREET, COMITTA, COLLETT,
COSTA, SCHWANK, SAVAL, CAPPELLETTI, HUGHES, HAYWOOD,
PISCIOTTANO, KIM AND MILLER, MAY 12, 2025
REFERRED TO ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCES AND ENERGY, MAY 12, 2025
AN ACT
Amending the act of November 30, 2004 (P.L.1672, No.213),
entitled "An act providing for the sale of electric energy
generated from renewable and environmentally beneficial
sources, for the acquisition of electric energy generated
from renewable and environmentally beneficial sources by
electric distribution and supply companies and for the powers
and duties of the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission,"
further providing for definitions; providing for force
majeure; further providing for alternative energy portfolio
standards, for portfolio requirements in other states, for
health and safety standards and for interagency
responsibilities; providing for zero emissions credits; and
making editorial changes.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Sections 1 and 2 of the act of November 30, 2004
(P.L.1672, No.213), known as the Alternative Energy Portfolio
Standards Act, are amended to read:
Section 1. Short title.
This act shall be known and may be cited as the [Alternative
Energy Portfolio] Pennsylvania Reliable Energy Sustainability
Standards Act.
Section 2. Definitions.
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The following words and phrases when used in this act shall
have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
context clearly indicates otherwise:
"Advanced reactor." A nuclear fission reactor consistent
with the definition of "advanced nuclear reactor" in 42 U.S.C. §
16271 (relating to nuclear energy). The term includes a small
modular reactor.
["Alternative energy credit." A tradable instrument that is
used to establish, verify and monitor compliance with this act.
A unit of credit shall equal one megawatt hour of electricity
from an alternative energy source. The alternative energy credit
shall remain the property of the alternative energy system until
the alternative energy credit is voluntarily transferred by the
alternative energy system. (Def. amended July 17, 2007, P.L.114,
No.35)
"Alternative energy portfolio standards." Standards
establishing that a certain amount of energy sold from
alternative energy sources is included as part of the sources of
electric generation by electric utilities within this
Commonwealth.
"Alternative energy sources." The term shall include the
following existing and new sources for the production of
electricity:
(1) Solar photovoltaic or other solar electric energy.
(2) Solar thermal energy.
(3) Wind power.
(4) Large-scale hydropower, which shall mean the
production of electric power by harnessing the hydroelectric
potential of moving water impoundments, including pumped
storage that does not meet the requirements of low-impact
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hydropower under paragraph (5).
(5) Low-impact hydropower consisting of any technology
that produces electric power and that harnesses the
hydroelectric potential of moving water impoundments,
provided such incremental hydroelectric development:
(i) does not adversely change existing impacts to
aquatic systems;
(ii) meets the certification standards established
by the Low Impact Hydropower Institute and American
Rivers, Inc., or their successors;
(iii) provides an adequate water flow for protection
of aquatic life and for safe and effective fish passage;
(iv) protects against erosion; and
(v) protects cultural and historic resources.
(6) Geothermal energy, which shall mean electricity
produced by extracting hot water or steam from geothermal
reserves in the earth's crust and supplied to steam turbines
that drive generators to produce electricity.
(7) Biomass energy, which shall mean the generation of
electricity utilizing the following:
(i) organic material from a plant that is grown for
the purpose of being used to produce electricity or is
protected by the Federal Conservation Reserve Program
(CRP) and provided further that crop production on CRP
lands does not prevent achievement of the water quality
protection, soil erosion prevention or wildlife
enhancement purposes for which the land was primarily set
aside; or
(ii) any solid nonhazardous, cellulosic waste
material that is segregated from other waste materials,
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such as waste pallets, crates and landscape or right-of-
way tree trimmings or agricultural sources, including
orchard tree crops, vineyards, grain, legumes, sugar and
other crop by-products or residues.
(8) Biologically derived methane gas, which shall
include methane from the anaerobic digestion of organic
materials from yard w