§ 39-26.2-3. Definitions.
When used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the following meanings:
(1) "Annual target� means the target for total renewable energy nameplate capacity of
new distributed-generation standard contracts set out in § 39-26.2-4.
(2) "Board� shall mean the distributed generation standard contract board established
pursuant to the provisions of § 39-26.2-10, or the office of energy resources. Until such time as the board is duly constituted,
the office of energy resources shall serve as the board with the same powers and duties
pursuant to this chapter.
(3) "Commission� means the Rhode Island public utilities commission.
(4) "Distributed-generation contract capacity� means ten percent (10%) of an electric
distribution company's minimum long-term contract capacity under the long-term contracting
standard for renewable energy in § 39-26.1-3, inclusive of solar capacity. The distributed-generation contract capacity shall
be reserved for acquisition by the electric distribution company through standard
contracts pursuant to the provisions of this chapter.
(5) "Distributed-generation facility� means an electrical-generation facility that is
a newly developed renewable energy resource as defined in § 39-26.1-2, located in the electric distribution company's load zone with a nameplate capacity
no greater than five megawatts (5 MW), using eligible renewable energy resources as
defined by § 39-26-5, including biogas created as a result of anaerobic digestion, but, specifically excluding
all other listed eligible biomass fuels, and connected to an electrical power system
owned, controlled, or operated by the electric distribution company.
(6) "Distributed-generation project� means a distinct installation of a distributed-generation
facility. An installation will be considered distinct if it is installed in a different
geographical location and at a different time, or if it involves a different type
of renewable energy class.
(7) "Electric distribution companyâ€� means a company defined in § 39-1-2(a)(12), supplying standard-offer service, last-resort service, or any successor service
to end-use customers, but not including the Block Island Power Company or the Pascoag
Utility District.
(8) "Large distributed-generation project� means a distributed-generation project that
has a nameplate capacity that exceeds the size of a small distributed-generation project
in a given year, but is no greater than three megawatts (3 MW) nameplate capacity.
(9) "Office� means the Rhode Island office of energy resources.
(10) "Program year� means a calendar year beginning January 1 and ending December 31.
(11) "Renewable energy classes� means categories for different renewable energy technologies
using eligible renewable energy resources as defined by § 39-26-5. For each program year, the board shall determine the renewable energy classes as
are reasonably feasible for use in meeting distributed-generation objectives from
renewable energy resources and are consistent with the goal of meeting the annual
target for the program year. For the program year ending December 31, 2012, there
shall be at least four (4) technology classes and at least two (2) shall be for solar-generation
technology, and at least one shall be for wind. The board may add, eliminate, or adjust
renewable energy classes for each program year with public notice given at least sixty
(60) days previous to any renewable energy class change becoming effective. For each
program year, the board shall set renewable energy class targets for each class established.
Class targets are the total program-year target amounts of nameplate capacity reserved
for standard contracts for each renewable energy class. The sum of all the class targets
shall equal the annual target.
(12) "Renewable energy credit� means a New England Generation Information System renewable
energy certificate as defined in § 39-26-2(14);
(13) "Small distributed-generation project� means a distributed-generation, renewable energy
project that has a nameplate capacity within the following: Solar: fifty kilowatts
(50 KW) to five hundred kilowatts (500 KW); Wind: fifty kilowatts (50 KW) to one and
one-half megawatts (1.5 MW). For technologies other than solar and wind, the board
shall set the nameplate capacity size limits, but such limits may not exceed one megawatt.
The board may lower the nameplate capacity from year to year for any of these categories,
but may not increase the capacity beyond what is specified in this definition. In
no case may a project developer be allowed to segment a distributed-generation project
into smaller-sized projects in order to fall under this definition.
(14) "Standard contract� means a contract with a term of fifteen (15) years at a fixed
rate for the purchase of all capacity, energy, and attributes generated by a distributed-generation
facility. A contract may have a different term if it is mutually agreed to by the
seller and the electric distribution company and it is approved by the commission.
The terms of the standard contract for each program year and for each renewable energy
class shall be set pursuant to the provisions of this chapter.
(15) "Standard contract ceiling price� means the standard contract price for the output
of a distributed-generation facility which price is approved annually for each renewable
energy class pursuant to the procedure established in this chapter, for the purchase
of energy, capacity, renewable energy certificates, and all other environmental attributes
and market products that are available or may become available from the distributed-generation
facility.