SOLAR POWER
U.S. energy exports in 2020 are projected to surpass imports for the first time since 1953, thanks to the continued growth in petroleum and natural gas exports, according to the U.S. Energy Information Agency’s Annual Energy Outlook released on Jan. 24. The trend is expected continue for the next three decades driven by large increases in the…...
The New Jersey Board of Public Utilities approved rules for a community solar pilot, allowing residents to participate in a solar project that is not located on their property, according to a Jan. 17 news release. The agency said that expanding solar access is key to achieve Democratic Governor Phil Murphy’s stated goal of 100…...
Alternative compliance payments assessed under Connecticut renewable portfolio standards program fell to $2.329 million in 2016, a decline of more than half from 2014, according to a RPS compliance report issued Jan. 23 by the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority. Assessed alternative compliance payments fell down from $3.90 million in 2015 and $7.86 million in 2014…....
Vermont House lawmaker Charles Shaw, a Republican, introduced legislation on Jan. 22 that would require in-state solar facilities to sell their renewable energy credits to distribution utilities that will apply the credits toward meeting the state’s renewable energy standard, in a bid to balance the local impacts of siting solar installations. Alternatively, the facility would have…...
The Michigan Public Service Commission on Jan. 18 approved DTE Electric Co.’s voluntary green pricing program tailored for large customers who choose to meet a portion of their electricity needs from renewable energy resources. The company said that the program will commence once the renewable energy projects required to support the program are in commercial operation…...
Colorado House lawmaker Chris Hansen, a Democrat, introduced legislation on Jan. 4 that would increase the maximum size of community solar gardens to 10 megawatts, up from 2 megawatts permitted by current law. The bill would broaden access to community projects, which offers consumers the opportunity to participate in solar installations through subscriptions, by allowing…...
The Hawaiian Electric Companies submitted power purchase agreements for seven grid-scale, solar-plus-storage projects to the Hawaii Public Utilities Commission, according to a Jan. 3 press release. The projects total 262 megawatts of solar and 1,024 megawatt-hours of energy storage, with contract prices ranging from $0.08 to $0.12 per kilowatt-hour. The utilities said that the contracts…...
The Maine Public Utilities Commission on Dec. 17 granted solar installer Insource Renewables LLC’s request to exclude solar generation produced by medium and large non-residential customers of Central Maine Power Company and Emera Maine from gross metering provisions due to excessive costs that are shifted onto other ratepayers. The commission agreed that the cost of…...
The New Jersey Board of Public Utilities staff issued a straw proposal to phase out the current Solar Renewable Energy Certificate or SREC Program following legislation enacted in May 2018, which closes the program when 5.1 percent of electricity sold in the state comes from distributed solar, and transition to a new system, according to…...
The Colorado Public Utilities Commission adopted rules to incorporate energy storage procurement into utilities’ long-term planning processes, taking an important step towards harnessing the emerging technology, according to a Dec. 12 decision. The move follows legislation enacted in June 2018 directing the commission to establish a process by February 2019 for electric utilities to evaluate…...
The New York Public Service Commission on Dec. 14 approved phase III of the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority’s plan to implement the Clean Energy Standard or CES, adopted in August 2016, to achieve the state’s goal of obtaining half its electricity from renewable resources by 2030. The program includes a renewable…...
Virginia is striding towards a clean energy future by paving the way for faster and larger deployment of renewable energy and energy efficiency. The Grid Transformation and Security Act of 2018 declares that 5,000 megawatts of solar and wind energy are in the public interest, making it easier for these projects get regulatory approval. The state’s 10-year energy plan emphasizes grid modernization and innovative technologies, setting goals for renewable energy generation, energy efficiency, and electric vehicles.
