Section 194-37-135 - Documentation of multifuel biomass energy, qualified biomass energy, and incremental biomass energy(1)Multifuel biomass energy. A utility using biomass energy produced by a multifuel generating facility, where the biomass energy fuel provides less than ninety-eight percent of the total heat input, must document the eligible renewable energy using RECs created by WREGIS pursuant to the multifuel generating unit procedures of WREGIS.(2)Qualified biomass energy. A utility using qualified biomass energy must document the eligible renewable energy using RECs created by WREGIS and must document: (a) Information about the facility generating electricity from biomass energy: (i) Ownership of the biomass energy facility;(ii) Date of commercial operation of the biomass energy facility; and(iii) Specific type of biomass used for generation by the biomass energy facility.(b) Information about the industrial facility that hosts the biomass energy facility: (i) The utility's load in megawatt hours that results from serving the industrial facility;(ii) Evidence that the industrial facility had not ceased operation, other than for purposes of maintenance or upgrade, during the target year;(iii) Evidence that the industrial facility engages in industrial pulping or wood manufacturing; and(iv) If the facility generating electricity from biomass energy is not owned by the utility, evidence that the industrial facility owns the biomass energy facility and is directly interconnected with the electricity facilities that are owned by the utility and capable of carrying electricity at transmission voltage.(3)Incremental biomass energy.(a) A utility using incremental electricity produced as a result of a capital investment at a qualified biomass energy facility must document the eligible renewable energy using RECs created by WREGIS and must document: (i) The status of the generating facility as a qualified biomass energy facility as provided in subsection (2) of this section;(ii) Evidence of the quantity, in megawatt hours, of renewable energy electric power generation during the baseline period, which must be determined using the methodology provided in (b) of this subsection;(iii) Evidence of the nature and amount of the capital investment, demonstrating that the capital investment project was completed after January 1, 2010, and that the expenditure was not on operation and maintenance in the normal course of business;(iv) Evidence demonstrating that the incremental generation was a result of the capital investment; and(v) The method or procedures that the facility owner uses to measure or calculate incremental generation and to track incremental generation within WREGIS separately from qualified biomass energy produced by the facility.(b) Methodology for establishing baseline generation. (i) The baseline level of generation for determining incremental generation must be established as the average quantity of net generation using eligible renewable energy fuel sources during the most recent three consecutive years of operation prior to the effect of the first capital investment completed after January 1, 2010. The three-year period must begin on or after January 1, 2007. Subsequent capital investments that result in additional amounts of incremental generation do not require a new baseline determination.(ii) The baseline period must exclude any periods in which operation of the qualified biomass generation facility was unrepresentative of normal operating conditions.(iii) Baseline generation must be documented using plant-level reports of net generation by fuel type submitted to the U.S. Energy Information Administration or, if such reports are not available, by business records of the generation facility owner.Wash. Admin. Code § 194-37-135
Adopted by WSR 14-04-015, filed 1/24/14, effective 2/24/2014Amended by WSR 17-19-057, Filed 9/13/2017, effective 10/14/2017