PURPA (Public Utility Regulatory Practices Act) Implementation: Policy Issues and Choices: The Northeast Regional Biomass Program

摘要

The purpose of this report is to provide some guidance in the structuring of state rules for the implementation of Public Utility Regulatory Practices Act (PURPA) of 1978. The problem posed here is how might rules be structured to allow for the development of biomass facilities which qualify, but which are not biased in favor of non-renewable resources. Such protects are likely to have different requirements necessary for their development than, for example, hydroelectric facilities. In a general comparison of the two, biomass projects will be fuel and fuel contract dependent, less capital intensive, and more likely to be dispatchable on an annual basis. In addition, biomass facilities may be cogenerators and have available to them more than one revenue stream. Biomass facilities may also be more likely than the hydros to go out of business during the term of the contract. (ERA citation 13:011180)