The Buefield City Council unanimously passed a resolution urging state lawmakers to legalize on-site Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) in the upcoming session.
Bluefield joins Morgantown as the second West Virginia city to pass a resolution in favor of making the third-party financing agreements available. Bluefield, one of the state’s most southern cities, is a member of West Virginians For Energy Freedom coalition.
PPAs are a widely available method to finance distributed energy generation projects such as rooftop solar panels or landfill biogas. At least 28 states allow PPAs, including Virginia, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Maryland.
Bluefield’s City Manager will send the resolution of support to the West Virginia Senate President, the Speaker of the House, and local legislators for the next full legislative session. In 2019, two bills that would have legalized on-site PPAs stalled in committee.
Bluefield’s resolution cites the advantages PPAs would give the city and state by:
Helping residents, nonprofits, and municipalities have more control over their energy bills with zero upfront costs;
Creating much-needed local jobs; and
Attracting employers – especially those with a renewable energy mandate – to locate and invest in West Virginia.
West Virginians For Energy Freedom is gearing up its campaign to legalize on-site PPAs for the 2020 state legislative session.
Interested in drafting a resolution for your city/town council or county commission to consider? Email us for details. Want to join our #PPAs4WV campaign? Click here to send an email to your representatives in the WV Senate and House of Representatives.