Introduced by the new Chair of the Senate Environmental & Energy Committee, Senator Stephanie Hansen, SB 33 requires at least 40% of electrical sales to end-users in Delaware be from renewable energy sources by 2035. Of the 40% renewable energy source requirement, 10% of the supply must be from solar photovoltaics. This amends the existing bill's 25% renewable by 2025 goal with a 3.5% solar photovoltaic requirement.
The bill also eliminates the cost cap mechanism that freezes the RPS when the percentage cost of renewable energy reaches a too high percentage of ratepayers' energy costs. On its face, this provision appeared to have the best interest of consumers in mind, but in reality, it led to issues in interpretation of what types of energy be included in this percentage calculation, namely Bloom Energy. The high cost of Bloom Energy, a non-renewable resource, was included in the cost cap, leading to a freeze that would have completely shut down the renewable energy market in Delaware.
