The Nevada Public Utilities Commission announced that net metering credits for grid-exported energy will decrease to 81 percent of the retail electricity rate from 88 percent after customer subscriptions reached the 80-megawatt threshold under the second tier of the program, according to a June 26 press release. New and existing solar capacity on the system…
MidAmerican Energy Company served 51.4 percent of its retail sales using renewable energy last year, the Iowa Utilities Board verified in an order issued on June 21. The company said that it owns the vast majority of the renewable generation that delivers its retail energy, and acquires a small amount through power purchase arrangements. The…
In April 2019, U.S. monthly electricity generation from renewable sources exceeded coal-fired generation for the first time based on data in EIA’s Electric Power Monthly. Renewables, which include utility-scale hydropower, wind, solar, geothermal, and biomass, provided 23 percent of the total electricity generation while coal provided 20. According to the agency, the milestone was helped by…
Illinois lawmakers approved a measure that allows a one-year extension of the date by which the Illinois Power Agency is required to deliver renewable energy credits from new utility-scale wind and solar projects acquired through long-term contracts. The bill sets a June 1, 2022 deadline for the agency to begin supplying credits. Current law directs…
Duke Energy Indiana LLC issued a proposal for its 2018 Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) calling for 2,840 megawatts of new natural gas capacity, 700 megawatts of wind and 1,650 megawatts of solar power, while accelerating the retirement of over 4 gigawatts of coal generation capacity over the next 7 to 19 years, according to a June…
Battery storage is no longer just paving the way for greater integration of renewables onto the grid. The technology is now ushering in larger utility-scale solar and wind projects with diverse configurations. Utility proposals to develop massive storage projects in tandem with renewables are becoming more common as intermittent wind and solar continue to produce a growing share of power generation. Aggressive state and utility decarbonization goals are also driving the need for cost-effective batteries.
Maine state lawmakers approved a measure on June 18 that expands opportunities to invest in solar power, most notably by lifting the nine-person limit on the number of customers who can participate in a community solar farm. The legislation also calls for the procurement of 375 megawatts of distributed generation through competitive solicitation over the…
New York state lawmakers approved legislation on June 19, which requires the state to cut its emissions to 85 percent below 1990 levels by 2050, with a plan to offset the remainder through measures that remove carbon dioxide, such as afforestation and carbon capture. The bill includes a requirement to produce 70 percent of electricity…
Utility-scale solar photovoltaic plants in Southwestern states like Arizona performed better than those in the Northeast in terms of capacity factor, a measure of a plant’s electricity generation as a percentage of its summer total capacity value for plants with a full year of operation. According to the Energy Information Administration, on average, utility-scale solar photovoltaic power plants…
Maine state lawmakers approved legislation on June 18 that requires 80 percent of electricity consumed in the state to come from renewable sources by 2030 and 100 percent by 2050. The legislation, “An Act To Reform Maine’s Renewable Portfolio Standard,” also requires a market assessment study and analysis of the opportunities, potential, and challenges to…
In this update, Maryland, Nevada, Washington and Puerto Rico are the latest states and territory to strengthen targets for clean energy, showing how America’s decade-long renewable push is ramping up. Puerto Rico set a goal in March to source all of its power from renewables by 2050. In April, Nevada lawmakers unanimously approved a target…...
The New Hampshire state legislature passed a measure that revises the state’s renewable portfolio standards for solar to 5.4 percent by 2025, up from the current 0.6 percent. The bill specifically seeks to raise the amount of electricity that utilities must procure from Class II renewables, which comprises solar electric systems that began operation after…