From Utility Dive:Proposed changes to a 40-year-old clean energy law could put small renewables projects outside competitive wholesale markets at risk, clean energy and legal groups said Tuesday.The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission in September proposed changes to the Public Utilities Regulatory Policies Act (PURPA), asserting their authority under a 2005 law. But some groups say the proposed updates are too aggressive and would undermine the law itself, in comments filed on the docket.Utilities largely support the proposed rules, arguing they give states more flexibility in implementing PURPA by lowering the MW threshold qualifying facilities (QFs) must meet to be eligible for utilities to purchase their power under the federal law, and allowing utilities to pay varying rates rather than the avoided cost of generation for those QFs.Link