FW: Costs for Renewable Energy Down Significantly in California

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Subject: Costs for Renewable Energy Down Significantly in California


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03/18/2013 12:42 PM      ShareThis
Costs for Renewable Energy Down Significantly in California

SustainableBusiness.com News


Thanks to technology advances, competition and state Renewable Portfolio
Standards (RPS), the average price utilities spend for renewable energy has
come way down.

In California, for example, when utilities first signed contracts to comply
with the state's RPS, they had to spend 21 cents per kilowatt-hour (kWh).

Now, the average price is down to just 9.6 cents per kWh for projects
approved in 2012, a big drop from the previous year of 12.6 cents per kWh.

California's utilities reached the goal of 20% renewables last year - way
ahead of the 2020 deadline - so the state raised the target to an impressive
33% by 2020, which they are on track to meet. Carbon emissions are also down
for the third consecutive year.

Last year, 1.9 gigawatts (GW) of renewable energy came online and 3.7 GW is
scheduled for this year. Almost 5 GW has been added since 2003, when the RPS
went into effect.

Unfortunately, as most states get close to meeting their RPS, they haven't
raised the target,  causing utilities to back off from buying more renewable
energy. But bills have been introduced in more than 20 states to expand or
strengthen standards.

30 states including Washington DC have RPS laws.

As you know if you read our news, ALEC is pushing legislation in the states
that would roll back or eliminate their RPSs. 42 laws are moving through
state legislatures and courts in over 24 states, according to the North
Carolina Solar Center, which tracks state renewable energy policies.

Republicans have introduced a bill in North Carolina to do just that. In
addition to repealing the requirement that utilities buy  renewable energy
(passed in 2007), they would no longer have to promote energy efficiency
through free energy audits and rebates for solar systems and efficient
appliances. 

North Carolina's RPS requires utilities to get 12.5% of energy
from renewables and efficiency programs by 2021. If the new bill passes that
would be reduced to just 3%.

The policy has created a fledgling renewable energy industry there that's
gaining momentum, spawning a surge in big solar farms, reports NewsObserver.
A planned 100 megawatt solar plant will be one of the biggest in the US.

Since 1998, the US has installed 53 GW of non-hydro renewable energy and the
majority (63%) is in states that have RPSs.
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