New Law Allows Farmers to More Easily Develop Clean Energy

On October 8th California Governor Jerry Brown signed into law the Renewable Energy Equity Act (SB 489), an initiative to remove unnecessary barriers to small scale renewable energy production in the state. The Act allows all renewable energy types, including biomass and biogas, to participate in the state’s Net Energy Metering (NEM) program, making it easier for small-scale bioenergy projects to get connected to the grid and help the state meet its renewable energy goals.

Senator Lois Wolk commented on the new law, "Governor Brown recognized the value of SB 489 for jobs, our environment and our state’s farmers. Today, California made it easier to turn agricultural waste products like wine pumice and nut shells into clean energy. And that will help us reach the state’s renewable energy and greenhouse gas emissions goals while spurring needed economic development."

Right now, wind, solar, and fuel cell generators are the only technologies able to take advantage of the streamlined energy uploading process. All other forms of renewable energy must go through a much lengthier, more cumbersome, and more expensive process that is often too arduous for many small scale energy developers to accomplish. SB 489 allows innovative farmers to connect their small-scale renewable energy projects to the grid. Farmers can convert their organic bio-waste to energy that helps to run their facilities.

To read more about SB 489, check out the article here.