On August 3, 2023, Delaware Governor John Carney signed a package of environmental protection and energy bills into law.
Laws signed included:
- The Delaware Climate Change Solutions Act, which establishes a process of regular updates to the state’s Climate Action Plan and serves as a framework to achieve targeted emissions reductions and develop resilience strategies for the state.
- House Bill 12, which amends Title 29 of the Delaware code to add used vehicles to the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control’s Electric Vehicle Rebate Program. This program now incentivizes the purchase or lease of new and used EVs by providing a rebate of up to $2,500 for all-electric vehicles and up to $1,000 for hybrid vehicles per applicant.
- House Bill 10, which establishes targets for annual purchase of electric school buses through fiscal year 2030.
- House Bill 11, which requires new commercial buildings 50,000 square feet or more to be able to support solar energy infrastructure.
- Senate Substitute 1 for Bill 103, which requires newly constructed single and multi-family dwellings to include EV charging infrastructure and provides county and municipal government enforcement power over EV charging infrastructure requirements.
- Senate Substitute 1 for Senate Bill 7, which requires new commercial buildings 50,000 square feet or more to be able to support solar energy infrastructure.
- Senate Bill 170, which directs the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control to work with PJM Interconnection, LLC to study the transmission impacts of offshore wind development, to work with neighboring states on offshore wind transmission, and to study and report back to the Governor and the General Assembly on a process for procuring offshore wind power.
The Governor also signed legislation that expands the responsibilities of the State Energy Office by adding additional positions to work with other agencies within the state and State Energy Offices in other states. The expansion of the State Energy Office allows additional administrative support for the development of new energy resources,
For more information on the above programs and the work of the State Energy Office please visit: https://dnrec.alpha.delaware.gov/climate-coastal-energy/energy-office/.