20 ILCS 687/6-3

(20 ILCS 687/6-3)

(Section scheduled to be repealed on December 12, 2015)

Sec. 6-3. Renewable energy resources program.

(a) The Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, to be called the "Department" hereinafter in this Law, shall administer the Renewable Energy Resources Program to provide grants, loans, and other incentives to foster investment in and the development and use of renewable energy resources.

(b) The Department shall establish eligibility criteria for grants, loans, and other incentives to foster investment in and the development and use of renewable energy resources. These criteria shall be reviewed annually and adjusted as necessary. The criteria should promote the goal of fostering investment in and the development and use, in Illinois, of renewable energy resources.

(c) The Department shall accept applications for grants, loans, and other incentives to foster investment in and the development and use of renewable energy resources.

(d) To the extent that funds are available and appropriated, the Department shall provide grants, loans, and other incentives to applicants that meet the criteria specified by the Department.

(e) The Department shall conduct an annual study on the use and availability of renewable energy resources in Illinois. Each year, the Department shall submit a report on the study to the General Assembly. This report shall include suggestions for legislation which will encourage the development and use of renewable energy resources.

(f) As used in this Law, "renewable energy resources" includes energy from wind, solar thermal energy, photovoltaic cells and panels, dedicated crops grown for energy production and organic waste biomass, hydropower that does not involve new construction or significant expansion of hydropower dams, and other such alternative sources of environmentally preferable energy. "Renewable energy resources" does not include, however, energy from the incineration or burning of waste wood, tires, garbage, general household, institutional and commercial waste, industrial lunchroom or office waste, landscape waste, or construction or demolition debris.

(g) There is created the Energy Efficiency Investment Fund as a special fund in the State Treasury, to be administered by the Department to support the development of technologies for wind, biomass, and solar power in Illinois. The Department may accept private and public funds, including federal funds, for deposit into the Fund.

(Source: P.A. 94-793, eff. 5-19-06; 95-913, eff. 1-1-09.)