The EIA establishes a renewable portfolio standard (RPS) with renewable energy targets as a percentage of customer load. The targets increase over time, from 3 percent in 2012, to 9% in 2016, to 15 percent in 2020. Eligible resources include water, wind, solar energy, geothermal energy, landfill gas, wave, ocean or tidal power, gas for sewage treatment plants and biodiesel fuel and biomass energy.

Many of the renewable resources have restricted eligibility. For example, hydro eligibility is limited to incremental generation due to efficiency improvements made after 1999, and the hydro project must be either owned by one of the 18 EIA-qualifying utilities or marketed by the Bonneville Power Administration. Hydro projects in pipes and canals do not have restricted ownership, but they must be located in Washington.

Other renewable resources must be located in the Pacific Northwest or delivered to Washington on a real-time basis. The Bonneville Power Administration service area map is helpful in understanding the geographic boundaries (unselect all layers except BPA Service Area).

A utility is not required to meet a renewable energy target if it spends at least 4% of its retail revenue requirement on the incremental cost of renewable energy and renewable energy credits. The cost cap for a utility that has no load growth is 1%.