Delaware governor signs bill boosting renewable portfolio standard

S.B.33 raises Delaware’s renewable portfolio standard for regulated utilities to 40% by 2035, a level that environmental advocates say is still too low.

February 10, 2021 Joe Bebon

The governor held a virtual signing ceremony.

Image: Delaware government website

Gov. John Carney, D-Del., signed into law S.B.33, which raises Delaware’s renewable portfolio standard (RPS) for regulated utilities to 40% by 2035.

Sponsored by Sen. Stephanie Hansen, and Rep. Ed Osienski, both Democrats, the bill passed the legislature in late January. Carney signed the bill into law February 10 during a virtual event attended by the sponsors and other state officials.

The new law raises Delaware’s previous RPS goal of 25% renewable energy by 2025. The RPS solar carve-out also will nearly triple from 3.5% by 2025 to 10% by 2035.

“Delaware is the country’s lowest-lying state, and climate change is already having a very real impact,” said Carney in a statement. “This legislation will help accelerate Delaware’s transition to renewable sources of energy, which is good for our economy and our environment.”

When the bill passed in January, Sierra Club welcomed the state’s goal to boost its RPS. However, the environmental group argued the new 40% target was too low and left Delaware “behind virtually every state in the region,” most of which have targets 50% or higher.

In addition to raising the RPS, the bill sponsors said S.B.33 will settle a dispute over cost caps for renewable energy credits by establishing a maximum price and alternative compliance payments, should the cost of these credits rise unexpectedly.

Video of the full virtual signing ceremony is available below.

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