Recently-introduced legislation in Congress has the potential to make solar energy and other clean technologies more widespread than ever.

A bipartisan group of lawmakers, including Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee Chairman Jeff Bingaman, has proposed implementing a national renewable electricity standard that would bring about a significant increase in the amount of clean energy generated nationwide.

Under the legislation, electric utilities would be required to derive at least 11 percent of their energy from renewable sources like wind, biomass and solar energy. Another 4 percent could be reached under the bill through energy efficiency initiatives.

"Shifting our country toward home-grown renewable energy will create jobs and help reduce carbon pollution. I believe there is strong support for this bipartisan bill and I hope we can pass it through Congress in the coming weeks," said Senator Bingaman, a New Mexico Democrat.

The bill would keep in place any state renewable energy standards requiring more than 15 percent of electricity generated to come from clean technologies, while also exempting utilities that sell fewer than 4 million megawatt hours of electricity per year. The requirement would also be phased in over several years.