Last DSIRE Review: 08/03/2012
Program Overview:
| State: |
Illinois |
| Incentive Type: |
Public Benefits Fund |
| Eligible Renewable/Other Technologies: |
Solar Water Heat, Solar Space Heat, Solar Thermal Electric, Solar Thermal Process Heat, Photovoltaics, Wind, Biomass, Hydroelectric, Geothermal Electric, Fuel Cells, Fuel Cells using Renewable Fuels |
| Applicable Sectors: |
Commercial, Industrial, Residential, Schools, Utility, Institutional |
| Types: | Renewable energy |
| Total Fund: | Approximately $100 million for renewables (1998-2015) |
| Charge: | $0.05 per month per residential electric service and residential gas service
$0.50 per month for small nonresidential electric and gas service
$37.50 per month for large nonresidential electric and gas service
(50% of all charges support the RERTF) |
Authority 1:
Date Enacted:
Date Effective:
Expiration Date:
|
20 ILCS 687/6-1 et seq.
12/16/1997 (amended 2007)
12/16/1997
12/12/2015
|
Authority 2:
Date Enacted:
Date Effective:
|
ยง 220 ILCS 5/16-111.1
6/30/1999
6/30/1999
|
Summary:
Illinois's 1997 electric-industry restructuring legislation created separate public benefits funds that support renewable energy and residential energy efficiency. The Renewable Energy Resources Trust Fund (RERTF) supports renewables through grants, loans and other incentives administered by the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO). The funding mechanism was established for 10 years in January 1998. In August 2007, funding was extended through December 12, 2015.*
Renewable-energy projects eligible for RERTF support include wind energy, solar-thermal energy, photovoltaics, dedicated crops grown for energy production and organic waste biomass, hydropower that does not involve new construction or significant expansion of hydropower dams, and "other such alternative sources of environmentally preferable energy." Energy from the incineration, burning or heating of waste wood, tires, garbage, general household, institutional and commercial waste, industrial lunchroom or office waste, landscape waste, or construction or demolition debris is not eligible. Public Act 97-0072 also permits DCEO to award grants for smart grid technology, effective July 1, 2011. Click here to view open renewable energy grant opportunities funded by the RERTF.
The RERTF is supported by a surcharge on customers' electric bills and gas bills known as the Renewable Energy Resource and Coal Technology Development Assistance Charge. Participation is required for investor-owned utilities, but voluntary for municipal utilities and electric cooperatives. Half of the money collected by the surcharges supports the RERTF, while the other half supports the Coal Technology Development Assistance Fund. The surcharge varies by customer class as follows:
- $0.05 per month for residential electric service
- $0.05 per month for residential gas service
- $0.50 per month for nonresidential electric service with less than 10 megawatts (MW) of peak demand during the previous calendar year
- $0.50 per month for nonresidential gas service with less than 4 million therms of gas during the previous calendar year
- $37.50 per month for nonresidential electric service with at least 10 MW of peak demand during the previous calendar year
- $37.50 per month for nonresidential gas service taking at least 4 million therms of gas during the previous calendar year
Approximately $100 million in revenue will be collected for the fund through December 2015. The RERTF receives approximately $5 million - $5.5 million per year to fund eligible projects. The 2011 Annual Report is available here. |
