In Colorado, two bills have been introduced that would significantly impact the state’s current RPS. S.B. 44 would reduce the state’s RPS requirement for investor-owned utilities to 15% in 2015 and thereafter, lowering the existing levels of 20% during 2015-2019 and 30% during 2020 and thereafter. However, the current 3% carve-out for distributed generation in 2020 and thereafter would remain. S.B. 44 also would reduce Colorado’s RPS requirements for rural cooperatives from 20% to 15% in 2020.

S.B. 46 would establish a triple-credit multiplier for all retail DG for the general RPS requirements applicable to rural cooperatives. Currently, a triple-credit multiplier exists only for solar generators placed in service by July 1, 2015. S.B. 46 would also eliminate the current retail DG requirement (0.5% in 2020) for rural cooperatives, while retaining the general DG requirement (1% by 2020), and define all community solar gardens as retail DG for the purpose of RPS compliance by rural cooperatives.