SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 25

(By Senator Unger)

Requesting the Joint Committee on Government and Finance study how West Virginia can create new jobs, increase industrial competitiveness and reduce emissions through development and deployment of distributed electricity generation technologies, including industrial cogeneration and energy recycling.

    Whereas, Distributed generation offers many potential benefits, including enhanced grid stability, deferred transmission and distribution system upgrades and local job creation; and

    Whereas, Development of West Virginia's cogeneration potential provides an opportunity to use some of West Virginia's natural gas resources for economic development within the state; and

    Whereas, Cogeneration is a more efficient use of fossil fuels, providing reductions in greenhouse gas emissions and other pollutants; and

    Whereas, The recent Executive Order No. 13624 established the development of combined heat and power (cogeneration) as a national priority; and

    Whereas, Several distributed generation projects that would have provided jobs and local economic development in West Virginia have stalled due to an inability to obtain a fair price for power sales to the grid; and

    Whereas, West Virginia's utility companies have no incentive to purchase the power from distributed generation projects under long-term contracts that would make the development of those projects financially feasible; and

    Whereas, Other states have enacted policies ensuring that distributed generation developers can receive a fair price for their electricity; and

    Whereas, A thorough study is necessary to understand the barriers to developing distributed generation systems in West Virginia and policies to effectively remove those barriers; therefore, be it

    Resolved by the Legislature of West Virginia:

    That the Joint Committee on Government and Finance is hereby requested to study how West Virginia can create new jobs, increase industrial competitiveness and reduce emissions through development and deployment of distributed electricity generation technologies, including industrial cogeneration and energy recycling; and, be it

    Further Resolved, That the Joint Committee on Government and Finance is requested to study how West Virginia can promote distributed electricity generation technologies, including industrial cogeneration, to spur economic development and reduce emissions; and, be it

    Further Resolved, That the Joint Committee on Government and Finance report to the regular session of the Legislature, 2014, on its findings, conclusions and recommendations, together with drafts of any legislation necessary to effectuate its recommendations; and, be it

    Further Resolved, That the expenses necessary to conduct this study, to prepare a report and to draft necessary legislation be paid from legislative appropriations to the Joint Committee on Government and Finance.