Delmarva - Green Energy Fund

Summary

Delaware Green Energy Funds

The Delaware Green Energy Fund was created in 1999 as the part of the deregulation of Delaware's electric utilities. Under Title 26 Delaware Code § 363, the Renewable Energy Portfolio Standards Act, any electric company or cooperative may exempt itself from the states renewable portfolio standard by contributing to the states Green Energy Fund or by creating its own independent Green Energy Fund. The Green Energy Fund is to be used in support of energy efficiency technologies, renewable energy technologies, or demand side management programs, into which it shall make payments of at least $0.178 for each megawatt-hour it sells, transmits, or distributes in this State. For more information on the state's green energy funds visit.

The Delaware public benefits program, enacted through the state’s electric utility restructuring law in March 1999, collects approximately $2.6 million annually for efficiency and renewable programs and $0.8 million annually for low-income programs. Funds for the public benefit programs are collected from Delmarva Power and Light customers (the state's only investor-owned utility). Separate public benefit funds exist for the Delaware Electric Cooperative (DEC) and the state's municipal utilities through the Delaware Municipal Electric Corporation (DEMEC). 

Delmarva 's Green Energy Fund

Prior to July 2007, the Delmarva fund collected $0.000178 per kWh (0.178 mills/kWh) to fund renewable energy and energy efficiency incentive programs. The collections were increased to $0.000356 per kWh (0.356 mills/kWh) by S.B. 35 of 2007. This money is collected and distributed through the Green Energy Fund, which supports the Delmarva Power's Green Energy Program.  Sixty percent of the total GEF funds are reserved for residential projects, and the rest forty percent is reserved for non-residential projects. 

An average of 0.095 mills/kWh (approx. $800,000 annually) is collected to fund low-income fuel assistance and weatherization programs. These funds are administered by the Department of Health & Social Services’ (DHSS) Division of State Service Centers, which currently administers similar federally-funded programs. Contact information for DHSS can be found here.