Clean Energy Project Bond Program

Summary

Legislation enacted in Idaho in April 2005 (S.B. 1192) allows utilities and independent (non-utility) developers of renewable energy projects in the state to request financing from the Idaho Energy Resources Authority (IERA), a state bonding authority created in March 2005 by the Environment, Energy and Technology Energy Resources Authority Act (H.B. 106). The authority was created to finance the construction of electric generation and transmission projects by electric utilities. SB 1192 extended the financing opportunities to independent renewable energy producers that are not "qualifying facilities" under the federal Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 (PURPA).

H.B. 96 of 2023 changed applicable projects from “renewable” to “clean”. For the purposes of this program, clean energy is defined as “energy derived from biogas, biomass, hydrogen, waste heat, manufacturing process byproducts, hydroelectric, geothermal, nuclear, solar, or wind resources, or any other non-carbon dioxide emitting source.” While a clean energy generation project is defined as an electric generating facility or system that uses clean energy as a source of energy to generate electricity and battery and other energy storage facilities.

S.B. 1024 of 2015 also extended IERA's authority to finance conservation measures for the Bonneville Power Authority. Such measures may include upgrades to system efficiency, waste heat recovery, or consumer programs for weatherization.