State Sen. Mary Jo White is the prime sponsor of the legislation.

The Pennsylvania Legislature gave final approval Friday to an alternative energy plan that is designed to boost renewable energy development and help consumers reduce energy use without imposing new taxes.

State Sen. Mary Jo White (R-21) was the prime sponsor of the measure. White chairs the Senate's Environmental Resources and Energy Committee as well as the special session committee on energy policies.

In addition to support for research and development of alternative energy technologies, the $650 million initiative provides assistance to consumers to cover up to 25 percent of the cost to install energy-saving equipment. The measure also boosts funding for the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) by $40 million, White said.

"This is a responsible plan that provides immediate assistance to consumers to reduce energy use, as well as a long-term approach for developing and implementing alternative energy across Pennsylvania," White said. "And it doesn't impose any new taxes on the consumers we are ultimately trying to help," the senator added.

Here is a breakdown of the alternative energy investment measure:

Spending

$285 million in grants and loans to help businesses and local governments develop, make and use alternative energies and fuels and energy-efficient systems.

$100 million in loans, grants or rebates to help homeowners and small business owners buy and install solar panels.

$25 million in grants to owners of smaller coal-fired power plants to help buy equipment to meet stricter pollution standards.

$40 million over four years to help lower income residents pay their heating bills.

$25 million in loans and grants to makers of wind power and geothermal heat equipment.

$25 million in loans and grants to individuals and small businesses to create high-performance energy efficient homes and buildings.

$92.5 million in loans, grants or rebates over eight years to homeowners and small business owners for energy conservation and efficiency projects.

$50 million in tax credits over eight years to businesses to develop, make and use alternative energies and fuels.

$5 million in loans to low-income homeowners for energy-efficiency improvements.

$5.3 million to producers of biodiesel as a 75-cent per-gallon subsidy for each gallon sold.

Fuels mandate

A gallon of diesel sold in Pennsylvania must contain: 2 percent biodiesel if in-state biodiesel production reaches 40 million gallons a year; 5 percent if in-state production reaches 100 million gallons a year; 10 percent if in-state production reaches 200 million gallons a year; 20 percent if in-state production reaches 400 million gallons a year.

A gallon of gas sold in Pennsylvania must contain 10 percent cellulosic ethanol if in-state production of cellulosic ethanol reaches 350 million gallons a year. Corn-based ethanol is excluded.