Renewable Energy Investment Act of 2005

The Renewable Energy Investment Act of 2005 (S. 427) proposes a national standard requiring electricity providers to gradually increase the amount of renewable energy they sell to consumers. Under this bill, utility companies would be required to obtain "renewable energy credits" to prove that a specific percentage of their electricity comes from sources like wind, solar, or geothermal power rather than traditional fossil fuels.

For the average citizen, this legislation aims to shift the national energy grid toward cleaner power sources and provides federal funding to states for renewable energy research and construction loans. While the bill seeks to reduce environmental impacts and promote energy independence, it would also establish a federal tracking system to monitor how utilities meet these new requirements. Introduced in 2005, the bill was referred to committee and did not become law.