Senator Stephanie Hansen has introduced Senate Bill 33, which will significantly increase our state’s use of renewable energy over the coming decade. Senate Bill 33 would extend Delaware’s Renewable Portfolio Standard law and gradually expand the volume of energy generated from renewable sources to 40 percent by 2035.
“We have long known that an over-reliance on fossil fuels comes with a steep cost to our environment, our health and future,” said Hansen, who chairs the Senate Environment & Energy Committee. “Thanks to the work of my former colleague Sen. Harris McDowell, Delaware has made great strides in reducing our dependence on petroleum and coal for our energy needs. This legislation will build on those efforts by ensuring we continue our shift to clean, sustainable energy sources for years to come.”
Created in 2005, Delaware’s Renewable Portfolio Standard creates a competitive market for utilities to acquire a certain percentage of their retail electricity from renewable sources, such as wind or solar energy, each year. Those utilities can either generate electricity from renewable sources themselves or purchase credits from producers who have used renewable sources.
Under the current law, Delaware’s lone regulated utility must acquire 25 percent of its energy from renewable sources by 2025. The state’s electric cooperative and its municipal utilities are invited to voluntarily meet the same standard, and the industry is on pace to meet that goal. SB 33 expands that requirement to 40% by 2035.
“For far too many years, companies’ practices have taken a heavy toll on our environment. Especially here in low-lying Delaware, where sea-level rise is a top concern, it’s especially critical we take action to prevent ecological disaster,” said Rep. Ed Osienski, the lead House sponsor. “Across the country, renewable portfolio standards are proven to be an effective solution to transitioning away from harmful fossil fuels toward clean, green energy like solar, wind and geothermal. Here in Delaware, utilities are on target to meet the 2025 goal of 25 percent renewable energy, so it makes good sense to establish new, bold goals for our RPS program.”
| Senate Bill 33 Sponsors | Yes Votes | No Votes |
| Hansen, S. McBride, Brown, Gay, Paradee, Pinkney, Poore, Sokola, Sturgeon, Townsend | ||
| Osienski, Heffernan, Moore, Bentz, Brady, Griffith, Lynn, Mitchell, Morrison, Wilson-Anton | ||
| Current Status: Senate Environmental & Energy Committee 1/12/21 |
Further, Hansen and Representative Krista Griffith have sponsored Senate Bill 21 to expand access to electric vehicle charging infrastructure in Delaware. The bill amends the Delaware Energy Act to encourage the adoption of electric vehicles in the State by creating more accessible electric vehicle charging infrastructure. Specifically, this Act permits State agencies to charge a fee for public or employee use of electric vehicle supply equipment installed by the agency so long as the fees do not exceed the agency’s costs. This Act limits the locations where the charging infrastructure may be placed by the State to state-owned or state-leased properties used by state employees or visitors.
| Senate Bill 21 Sponsors | Yes Votes | No Votes |
| Hansen, Brown, Ennis, Paradee, Pinkney, Poore, Sokola, Townsend, Walsh | ||
| Griffith, Baumbach, Bentz, Brady, Chukwuocha, Lynn, Morrison, Osienski, K.Williams, Wilson-Anton | ||
| Current Status: Senate Environmental & Energy Committee 1/12/21 |
I should read SB21 before commenting, but we have to start thinking and planning now for electric vehicle charging capability in our low income communities too. These cars get cheaper (and there will be a growing used electric car market) and increasingly the barrier to ownership is the lack of charging capability directly in these communities.