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Hydro in State RPSs

MCLI Recommendation: “Through the use of federal research grants and other federal funding provided to the states, Congress should encourage the states to change their restrictive RPS requirements by allowing all duly licensed and exempted nonfederal hydropower to qualify.”

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8 resources

Resource States and State Governments

DOE Report, The Role of Hydropower in State Clean Energy Policy

A 2020 report prepared for the DOE says many states’ energy policies are blocking the inclusion of hydropower in renewable portfolio standards and energy storage programs — even as some states are wag...
Example States and State Governments

Vermont RPS

Vermont requires that the states’ retail electricity suppliers obtain 75% of their annual electricity from renewable sources, which includes any size hydroelectric facility, by 2032.
Example States and State Governments

Colorado’s HB 1052

This April 2021 legislation approved the inclusion of pumped hydroelectric energy generation in the definition of “eligible energy resources” for purposes of meeting Colorado’s renewable energy standa...
Example States and State Governments

Maryland RPS

Maryland’s RPS includes small hydroelectric power plants of less than 30 megawatts.
Example States and State Governments

Colorado RPS

Colorado’s RPS includes new hydroelectricity with a nameplate capacity of 10 megawatts or less, and existing hydropower of 30 megawatts or less.
Example States and State Governments

California RPS

California requires that the state’s retail electricity suppliers obtain 50% of their annual electricity sales from renewable resources, which includes hydroelectric facilities of 30 MW or less, by 20...
Example States and State Governments

Connecticut RPS

Connecticut’s RPS includes run-of-river hydropower facilities that began operating after July, 1, 2003 and have a generating capacity of not more than 30 megawatts.
Example States and State Governments

Delaware RPS

Delaware’s RPS includes hydroelectric facilities that have a maximum design capacity of 30 megawatts or less.