(1) The Legislature declares that in order to promote the more rapid development of new sources of electrical energy, to maintain the economic vitality of the state through the continuing production of goods and the employment of its people, and to promote the efficient utilization and distribution of energy, it is desirable and necessary to encourage independent energy producers to competitively develop sources of electric energy not otherwise available to Utah businesses, residences, and industries served by electrical corporations, and to remove unnecessary barriers to energy transactions involving independent energy producers and electrical corporations.
(2) It is the policy of this state to encourage the development of independent and qualifying power production and cogeneration facilities, to promote a diverse array of economical and permanently sustainable energy resources in an environmentally acceptable manner, and to conserve our finite and expensive energy resources and provide for their most efficient and economic utilization.