By Bob Katzen

House 25-139, rejected an amendment to a current law that requires retail electrical suppliers to provide a minimum percentage of kilowatt-hour sales to customers from renewable energy generating sources. The amendment would eliminate the renewable energy requirement if compliance would not be cost effective or would result in additional costs to consumers.

Rep. Paul Frost (R-Auburn), the sponsor of the amendment, said that he is not opposed to green energy in general but is opposed to its mandated use when it is more expensive than conventional energy. He noted that currently offshore wind and solar energy is more expensive than conventional energy and the higher costs result in the ratepayers paying more.

Rep. Mark Cusack (D-Braintree) said he opposed the amendment because it is duplicative of what is already within the power of state’s Department of Energy Resources (DOER) to do. He noted that DOER did just that this year when it reduced the requirement from 3.7 percent to 3.5 percent.

(A “Yes” vote is for the amendment. A “No” vote is against it.)

Rep. Christine Barber No Rep. Mike Connolly No Rep. Paul Donato No Rep. Erika Uyterhoeven No