Pennsylvania SB 372: 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 short title, for definitions and for alternative energy portfolio standards; providing for Zero Emissions Carbon Certificate Program, for solar photovoltaic technology requirements and for decarbonization; and establishing the ZEC Fund.

Bill Text

PRINTER'S NO. 320
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
SENATE BILL
No. 372
Session of
2025
INTRODUCED BY STREET, COMITTA, KANE AND SCHWANK, MARCH 6, 2025
REFERRED TO CONSUMER PROTECTION AND PROFESSIONAL LICENSURE,
MARCH 6, 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 short title, for definitions and for
alternative energy portfolio standards; providing for Zero
Emissions Carbon Certificate Program, for solar photovoltaic
technology requirements and for decarbonization; and
establishing the ZEC Fund.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Section 1 of the act of November 30, 2004
(P.L.1672, No.213), known as the Alternative Energy Portfolio
Standards Act, is amended to read:
Section 1. Short title.
This act shall be known and may be cited as the [Alternative
Energy Portfolio Standards] Energy Future Act.
Section 2. The definitions of "alternative energy sources,"
"reporting period" and "Tier II alternative energy source" in
section 2 of the act are amended and the section is amended by
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adding definitions to read:
Section 2. Definitions.
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 nuclear." A nuclear fission or fusion reactor,
including a prototype plant as defined in 10 CFR 50.2 (relating
to definitions) and 52.1 (relating to definitions), with
significant improvements compared to commercial nuclear reactors
under construction as of the effective date of this definition,
including the following improvements:
(1) additional inherent safety features;
(2) significantly lower levelized cost of electricity;
(3) lower waste yields;
(4) greater fuel utilization;
(5) enhanced reliability;
(6) increased proliferation resistance;
(7) increased thermal efficiency; or
(8) ability to integrate into electric and nonelectric
applications.
* * *
"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
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storage that does not meet the requirements of low-impact
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
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material that is segregated from other waste materials,
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 waste, such as grass clippings and
leaves, food waste, animal waste and sewage sludge. The term
also includes landfill methane gas.
(9) Fuel cells, which shall mean any elec