Solar Energy Bills Continue to Shine
Monday, March 30th, 2009Attention shifts to the House
This week is an important one for solar energy in the 81st Legislature. On the Senate side, the Committee on Business and Commerce can move solar energy legislation, including legislation that calls for a major program for distributed generation such as rooftop solar, out of committee and onto the Senate floor. On the House side, the newly formed Subcommittee on Energy Efficiency and Renewables will hear bills Thursday afternoon.
Chaired by Rep. Farabee, the Subcommittee on Energy Efficiency and Renewables was created to handle the unprecedented number of clean energy bills filed this session. Twelve bills are on the agenda for Thursday. One thing to note: generally, being heard in a subcommittee decreases a bill’s likelihood of passage. It is essential that Texans who want a cleaner, healthier future for the state voice their support for solar and other emerging energy technologies. One way you can do this it to sign ACT’s petition in support of a Renewable Portfolio Standard that will do for solar power what the 1999 RPS has done for wind.
