The Public Service Commission of the District of Columbia issued an update to its renewable energy portfolio standard policy revising the generator certification and eligibility requirement, eliminating redundancies, deleting obsolete sections and generally clarifying the commission’s rules, according to a Dec. 5 order. On Nov. 27, the Council of the District of Columbia voted unanimously to advance a…
The proliferation of customer-sited generation has prompted utilities to push for demand charges – a fee based on a customer’s peak consumption during a billing period – to recover fixed costs and address cross-subsidies. Utilities face the conundrum of losing revenue as customers installing distributed generation, such as rooftop solar, rely less on the utility for power needs while also shifting costs to other customers. Solar advocates argue that these fees impact customers’ ability to control their bill, potentially wiping out the incentive to install solar.
The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection released its final plan to advance in-state solar development, with a goal to achieve a 10 percent increase in solar-powered electricity by 2030 from the current level of less than one percent. The state would have to install about 11 gigawatts of solar capacity to reach the goal, up…
The political puzzle pieces are falling into place for nearly a dozen states to strengthen targets for the deployment of renewable generation following the Midterm elections, in what could serve as the latest driver for growth in solar- and wind-powered electricity. Newly elected Democratic governors in six states, ranging from Maine to New Mexico, ran on campaigns to pursue more ambitious renewable energy goals. Their rise to power not only boosts the prospect for more aggressive environmental mandates and targets, but will also mark a progressive shift in energy policy from their respective Republican predecessors, which had blocked renewable-friendly measures.
The Council of the District of Columbia voted unanimously on Nov. 27 to advance a bill that would double the renewable energy portfolio standard to 100 percent by 2032, from the current target of 50 percent. The bill, which amends the Renewable Energy Portfolio Standard Act of 2004, would require utilities operating in the District…
The Illinois Power Agency on Nov. 26 unveiled a final supplemental funding plan for the “Illinois Solar for All Program” established under the 2016 Future Energy Jobs Act which modernized the state’s renewable portfolio standard to ensure long-term funding sources for purchasing renewable resources. The program is intended to encourage the development of new distributed…
New Jersey completed 100,000 installations, a landmark in the state’s thriving solar industry which has benefitted from net metering, a renewable portfolio standard, and a solar renewable energy credit or SREC market, according to a Nov. 23 press release from the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities. In May, the state enacted legislation that phases…
American Electric Power Company Inc. announced a $33 billion capital investment plan from 2019 through 2023, with 75 percent focused on its transmission and distribution operations, according to a Nov. 11 news release. The plan includes $2.7 billion for new renewable generation, including about $2.2 billion for competitive, contracted projects. The company said the transition…
Duke Energy Carolinas, a subsidiary of Duke Energy, issued $1 billion in green bonds to finance zero emission projects such as solar and energy storage in North and South Carolina, according to a Nov. 9 press release. The bonds, which mark the company’s first clean energy investment offering, have a weighted average coupon of 3.74…
The Virginia State Corporation Commission on Nov. 2 issued an order finding that Dominion Energy Inc.’s proposal to build a 12-megawatt offshore wind project off the coast of Virginia Beach is prudent. The project, expected to come online in December 2020, has an estimated cost of about $300 million, excluding financing costs. The commission noted…
The Bureau of Land Management authorized EDF Renewable Energy Inc.’s Palen Solar Project, a 500-megawatt solar photovoltaic facility that would span 3,478 acres of federal lands in Riverside County, California. The project, expected to come online in 2020, would be located in the bureau’s Solar Energy Zone and Development Focus Area that has been designated…
The Florida Public Service Commission on Oct. 29 authorized Tampa Electric Company to recover costs for five solar projects totaling 260 megawatts under the second phase of the company’s solar plan. The projects raise the revenue requirement by $46 million resulting in a $2.46 increase in monthly residential bills, effective January 2019. The agency said…