Renewable Energy Portfolio Standard - Alterations

EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MATTER ADDED TO EXISTING LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*sb0706*

SENATE BILL 706
C5, M5 6lr3150

By: Senator Hershey
Introduced and read first time: February 6, 2026
Assigned to: Education, Energy, and the Environment

A BILL ENTITLED

AN ACT concerning 1

Renewable Energy Portfolio Standard – Alterations 2

FOR the purpose of decreasing the renewable energy portfolio standard for Tier 1 3
renewable sources for certain years; and generally relating to the renewable energy 4
portfolio standard. 5

BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments, 6
Article – Public Utilities 7
Section 7–703(a)(1)(i) 8
Annotated Code of Maryland 9
(2025 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 10

BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 11
Article – Public Utilities 12
Section 7–703(b)(22) through (25) 13
Annotated Code of Maryland 14
(2025 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 15

SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 16
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 17

Article – Public Utilities 18

7–703. 19

(a) (1) (i) The Commission shall implement a renewable energy portfolio 20
standard that, except as provided under paragraphs (2) and (3) of this subsection, applies 21
to all retail electricity sales in the State by electricity suppliers. 22

(b) Except as provided in subsections (e) and (f) of this section, the renewable 23
energy portfolio standard shall be as follows: 24
2 SENATE BILL 706

(22) in 2027: 1

(i) [41.5%] 26% from Tier 1 renewable sources, including: 2

1. at least 9.5% derived from solar energy; 3

2. an amount set by the Commission under § 7 –704.2(a) of 4
this subtitle derived from offshore wind energy, including at least 400 megawatts of Round 5
2 offshore wind projects; and 6

3. at least 0.75% derived from post –2022 geothermal 7
systems; and 8

(ii) 2.5% from Tier 2 renewable sources; 9

(23) in 2028: 10

(i) [43%] 27.5% from Tier 1 renewable sources, including: 11

1. at least 11% derived from solar energy; 12

2. an amount set by the Commission under § 7 –704.2(a) of 13
this subtitle derived from offshore wind energy, including at least 800 megawatts of Round 14
2 offshore wind projects; and 15

3. at least 1% derived from post –2022 geothermal systems; 16
and 17

(ii) 2.5% from Tier 2 renewable sources; 18

(24) in 2029: 19

(i) [49.5%] 34% from Tier 1 renewable sources, including: 20

1. at least 12.5% derived from solar energy; 21

2. an amount set by the Commission under § 7 –704.2(a) of 22
this subtitle derived from offshore wind energy, including at least 800 megawatts of Round 23
2 offshore wind projects; and 24

3. at least 1% derived from post –2022 geothermal systems; 25
and 26

(ii) 2.5% from Tier 2 renewable sources; and 27

(25) in 2030 and later: 28
SENATE BILL 706 3

(i) [50%] 34.5% from Tier 1 renewable sources, including: 1

1. at least 14.5% derived from solar energy; 2

2. an amount set by the Commission under § 7 –704.2(a) of 3
this subtitle derived from offshore wind energy, including at least 1,200 megawatts of 4
Round 2 offshore wind projects; and 5

3. at least 1% derived from post –2022 geothermal sys tems; 6
and 7

(ii) 2.5% from Tier 2 renewable sources. 8

SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That a presently existing obligation 9
or contract right may not be impaired in any way by this Act. 10

SECTION 3. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 11
October 1, 2026, and shall be applicable to all renewable energy portfolio standard 12
compliance years beginning after December 31, 2026. 13