REC

Southern Company Subsidiary's First Wind Project in Operation

Southern Power’s first wind project, the 299-MW Kay Wind facility in Kay County, Oklahoma, is fully operational. The electricity and associated renewable energy credits (RECs) generated by the facility will be sold under 20-year PPAs with Westar Energy and Grand River Dam Authority (GRDA). Westar Energy has contracted for approximately 199 MW, and GRDA has contracted for approximately 100 MW. Both companies will have the option to either keep or sell the RECs.

Southern Company Subsidiary Acquires 103-MW Georgia Solar Project

Southern Company subsidiary Southern Power acquired the 103-MW Butler solar facility from Community Energy. The facility, located on approximately 1,070 acres in Taylor County, Georgia, is expected to enter commercial operation in the fourth quarter of 2016. Construction is slated to begin in September 2015, with First Solar managing the building, operations and maintenance of the facility.

A Greener Standard Offer

A new model to help restructured states add renewables to the default service portfolio.

By taking the intermittent supply of the renewable generator out of the generator’s compensation, the developer (and lenders) receive the stability they crave while supply customers avoid products they do not need.

Putting a Price on Carbon

How EPA can establish a U.S. GHG Program for the Electricity Sector.

With the Environmental Protection Agency’s proposed greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions standards expected in June 2014, many states are considering their own approaches to provide flexibility in meeting compliance requirements. Experience in North America to date provides policy guidance.

Digest

ABB energizes 500 MW HVDC line; MISO installs synchrophasors; Xcel plans transmission upgrades in Texas Panhandle; Panda orders power blocks from Siemens for Pennsylvania project; EdF starts operations at 110 MW solar project in Mojave Desert; plus contracts and announcements from Sensus, DTE, Calpine, PSNM, First Solar, NRG, and others.

Digest

ComEd selects GE for 4 million smart meters; Duquesne contracts Itron for 625,000 smart meters; Consumers Energy plans 700-MW combined-cycle plant; Phoenix Solar contracts for 39-MW PV plant; NRG starts operation at two 20-MW PV plants in California; Edison files suit against Mitsubishi for SONGS defects; FirstEnergy plans 2 GW of coal-plant shutdowns; FERC approves PacifiCorp tie-in with Cal ISO; PSEG commissions EV-charging facilities; plus announcements and contracts involving Toshiba, Direct Energy, Alstom, and others.

REC Announces Three Utility-Scale Projects in North Carolina

REC announced three new utility scale installations in North Carolina. The projects, developed, engineered and constructed by Strata Solar are Rock Farm, 6.65-MW, Mt. Olive Farm, 6.65-MW, and AM Best Farm, 6.4-MW. Collectively these farms are powered by 81,000 high-performing REC 250 Peak Energy solar panels and generate 31,320 MWh’s of solar energy annually. These ground-mounted installations each cover an approximate area of 16 hectares and were commissioned in the first half of 2013.  

Missouri OKs Lower Voluntary Rate Schedules

The Missouri Public Service Commission (PSC) approved a proposal by Ameren Missouri to update a voluntary program which gives consumers the opportunity to finance the purchase renewable energy credits (REC). Ameren charges customers $15 per credit, including the ability to purchase amounts equal to their monthly usage or select a set number of RECs per month. The PSC said that price was about average for such programs in the United States.

PPAs for DG

What every real property owner should know.

Financing has been scarce for distributed generation. But as opportunities expand, commercial frameworks are solidifying. Power purchase agreements are paving the way to a bright future for DG.