Stoel Rives LLP is the Salt Lake City host for the monthly ABA/ACORE Renewable Energy Teleconference Series. The title of this month's teleconference is "US Feed In Tariffs: Lessons Learned."

Feed-in tariffs (FITs) have been used for many years to promote the growth of renewable energy in Europe. Such tariffs impose on utilities an obligation to give grid access to specified renewable generators and to enter into long-term contracts to purchase their output at prices sufficient to incent their rapid development.

Although FITs have been adopted throughout the world (perhaps most famously in Germany), they have yet to be widely adopted in the United States. That may be starting to change. In March 2009, the Gainesville Regional Utility adopted a 32 cents per kwh solar feed in tariff, subject to a 4 MW program cap. Later that year, Oregon enacted a Solar Pilot Feed In Tariff Project, the details of which are now being worked out through an Oregon Public Utility Commission rulemaking process. Vermont's state-wide tariff offers incentive pricing to wind, solar, hydro, biomass or methane generators smaller than 2.2 MM, up to an aggregate of 50 MWs. Other jurisdiction have considered, and in some cases rejected, proposed FITs.

Experience in Europe and the US show sensitivity to several issues is prudent in structuring a more effective FIT:

• Pricing
• Gaming between RFPs and FITs
• Who gets the bill?
• Performance standards
• Role of competition

This Webinar will explore the state of feed in tariffs in the United States:

• What have we learned from the feed in tariffs that have already been deployed?
• What should jurisdictions considering feed in tariffs be sure to do, and what should they carefully avoid?
• What lessons can be learned from jurisdictions where feed in tariffs failed?
• Are feed in tariffs the best way to incent the rapid development of renewable energy in the United States, or is there a reason to prefer other approaches?
• What other approaches may be weighed?

How do FITs integrate with state and possible national renewable energy standards?

• Does PURPA pre-empt FITs and, if so, are there any federal legislative fixes in the offing?

Q & A Submission:
Q & A both on the teleconference and live at the host firm sites, will follow the speakers' presentations. Please email questions to abaquestions@acore.org.

Call Times:
12:00 pm - 1:30 pm Eastern
11:00 am - 12:30 pm Central
10:00 am - 11:30 am Mountain
9:00 am - 10:30 am Pacific
8:00 am - 9:30 am Alaskan

To register: Call or email Jenn Oblad at (801) 715-6662 or joblad@stoel.com.

Click here for more information.