SB56: Bill Text

LRB-1498/1

MDK:cmh:jf

1999 - 2000 LEGISLATURE

1999 Senate BILL 56

February 24, 1999 - Introduced by Senators Burke and Risser, cosponsored by Representative Bock. Referred to Committee on Agriculture, Environmental Resources and Campaign Finance Reform.

SB56,1,3 An Act to create 16.957 and 20.505 (1) (er) of the statutes; relating to: creating a clean energy rebate program, granting rule-making authority and making an appropriation.

Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau

This bill creates a clean energy rebate program under the department of administration. Under the program, an individual may receive a rebate of up to $2,000 from the state for installing a system that converts solar or wind energy into usable forms of thermal or electrical energy. The actual value of the rebate is based on the estimated annual amount of energy generated by the installed solar or wind energy resource system.

For further information see the state fiscal estimate, which will be printed as an appendix to this bill.

The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do enact as follows:

SB56, s. 1 Section 1. 16.957 of the statutes is created to read:

SB56,1,5 16.957 Clean energy rebate program. (1) Definitions. In this section:

SB56,2,2 (a) "Clean energy resource system" means a solar energy system or a wind energy system, but does not include any equipment that would be present as part of a conventional energy system or as part of a system primarily used to heat a swimming pool.

SB56,2,4 (b) "Solar energy system" means equipment that directly converts and then transfers or stores solar energy into usable forms of thermal or electrical energy.

SB56,2,5 (c) "Wind energy system" has the meaning given in s. 16.959 (1).

SB56,2,10 (2) Rebate. An individual owning a clean energy resource system installed after the effective date of this subsection .... [revisor inserts date], may apply for a rebate, not to exceed $2,000 per clean energy resource system, that is calculated at a rate of $100 per million British thermal units of estimated annual energy produced by the clean energy resource system if all of the following apply:

SB56,2,12 (a) The installation of the clean energy resource system is completed during the year for which the rebate is claimed.

SB56,2,14 (b) The clean energy resource system is installed on the individual's property in this state.

SB56,2,15 (c) The clean energy resource system is certified under sub. (4).

SB56,2,17 (3) Application. (a) An individual may make an application for a rebate to the department. An individual may make only one application per year.

SB56,2,21 (b) The department shall calculate the amount of a rebate and may require an applicant to submit additional information. If approved, a rebate may be certified by the department for payment by check, share draft or other draft drawn from the appropriation under s. 20.505 (1) (er).

SB56,2,23 (c) The department may not approve an application if any of the following applies:

SB56,2,25 1. The application is received more than 12 months after the month during which installation of the clean energy resource system was completed.

SB56,3,2 2. The department previously approved a rebate for the same clean energy resource system at the same location.

SB56,3,4 (4) Certification. The department shall determine if a clean energy resource system may be certified for a rebate.

SB56,3,7 (5) Rules. The department shall promulgate rules establishing performance standards or other criteria that a clean energy resource system is required to meet in order to be certified for a rebate under sub. (4).

SB56, s. 2 Section 2. 20.505 (1) (er) of the statutes is created to read:

SB56,3,10 20.505 (1) (er) Clean energy rebate. A sum sufficient to make clean energy rebate payments under s. 16.957.

SB56, s. 3 Section 3. Nonstatutory provisions.

SB56,3,15 (1) The department of administration shall submit the proposed rules required under section 16.957 (5) of the statutes, as created by this act, to the legislative council staff under section 227.15 (1) of the statutes no later than the first day of the 4th month beginning after the effective date of this subsection.

SB56,3,16 (End)