New Governors Could Mandate 34 GWac More Solar, Wind by 2030

Illinois, Nevada show most potential for solar

A new analysis by Wood Mackenzie Power and Renewables finds that the renewable energy and climate ambitions of governors elected on November 6 could increase the total market for solar in five states by 17.7 GWac, if all five pass 50% by 2030 mandates.

November 6 was a big night for renewable energy and climate policies. While voters rejected a 50% by 2030 renewable energy mandate in Arizona and a carbon tax in Washington, they also elected governors in five states that have called for stronger renewable energy mandates.

Four more either pledged to commit to the Paris Agreement or are in states that have already joined an alliance of states committed to meeting Paris Agreement goals. Wood Mackenzie Power and Renewables has identified renewable portfolio standard (RPS) policies as the most likely way to meet those goals, bringing the total number of states that could potentially see RPS increases to nine.

In a new report, Wood Mackenzie looks at the market ramifications of states passing 50% by 2030 renewable energy mandates. This is less than the 100% being called for by three of these governors, however both timelines and total ambition of the final policies will likely be decided through political processes.

The report found that if all five pass 50% by 2030 RPS policies, this could increase the total solar that is built by 2030 by 17.7 GWac, and the total wind by 16.5 GW. These volumes and ratios are based on current electric demand and the current wind/solar ratio in each state, and it is important to note that these numbers are outside of other renewable development which may happen for other reasons, including to meet current RPS mandates or driven by factors such as voluntary utility and corporate procurement.

The state that would see the most solar market growth as the result of a more ambitious RPS is Illinois, which at 9.1 GWac makes up more than half of the total anticipated increase. This is doubtless due to the much larger population in Illinois, including 8 million residents in Chicago and surrounding suburbs, than other states that are considering raising their mandates.

Wood Mackenzie has expressed concerns regarding Illinois’ financial condition, and it is also unclear how the state’s sizable nuclear fleet would fit into all of this. However, the firm points to a large interconnection queue for wind and solar projects, and also the state’s ability to import capacity from other wind-rich states in the region.

The state with the 2nd-greatest potential for more solar is Nevada. And while Governor-elect Steve Sisolak (D) has called for putting the state on a path to 100% renewable energy, the initial path forward is up to Nevada voters. November 6 saw an electoral victory for the state’s Question 6, which calls for 50% renewables by 2030, however the bill must go to the voters one more time before becoming law.

Wood Mackenzie is projecting that all new capacity under an RPS in Nevada will come from solar, not wind, and that this additional 4 GW by 2030 would more than double the current volume in the state. Nevada is one of only three states where solar met more than 10% of in-state electricity demand in 2017, and the state also has developed its geothermal resources.

Political and infrastructure constraints

The report projects that New Mexico, Colorado and Minnesota would each deploy from 1-2 GWac of additional solar to meet a 50% by 2030 RPS. In Colorado and Minnesota wind is expected to dominate capacity additions, but none of these states have particularly large populations and electric demand.

Wood Mackenzie also included Michigan in the report, but as major actors in this state do not appear to be contemplating an RPS increase we have omitted this from our summary of the findings.

The firm also noted that Democratic governors who have taken office in Kansas and Wisconsin are unlikely to pass RPS policies with Republican control of both houses of each state’s legislature. 

Wood Mackenzie additionally did not provide forecasts for Connecticut and Maine, due to a variety of factors. This includes a preference in the region for importing Canadian hydropower, and “severe transmission constraints” in Maine.

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Community Power State Scorecard Comparison — 2018 vs. 2017

Earlier this spring, the Institute for Local Self-Reliance released its 2018 Community Power State Scorecard, revealing the the best and worst states for local clean energy across the country.

Did many states improve on their 2017 score?

The latest rankings used a very similar methodology to last year’s interactive Community Power Map, notably increasing the points awarded for a state’s community or sharable renewable program and adding (or subtracting) points for the ease (or difficulty) of connecting to the grid under the state’s rules.

Illinois Case Could Help Other Utilities Seeking to Fund Microgrids

A recent Illinois decision could make it easier for utilities else where to pass costs for microgrid projects on to ratepayers

Energy experts and consumer groups are monitoring the recent Illinois decision to allow ComEd to build a microgrid and recoup the $25 million cost from a broader group of ratepayers.

But while a bill to authorize similar cost recovery is in motion in Pennsylvania, most observers plan to wait for details on how the Chicago microgrid performs before pushing similar regulatory changes.

Illinois Commerce Commission Order a Victory for Solar, Advocates Say

Solar advocates cheered an order approved Tuesday by the Illinois Commerce Commission that defines crucial aspects of how the state will meet its ambitious goals for exponentially increasing solar capacity under the Future Energy Jobs Act.

On three different key points, the commission changed a proposed order from an administrative law judge in ways that solar advocates and consumer groups had recommended. If the proposed order had been implemented unchanged, advocates had feared that many rural and lower-income residents would have been excluded from solar incentives, and that the state might rely too heavily on renewable energy credits from out-of-state and existing projects as opposed to new in-state construction.

Few Major Revisions in Illinois Renewable Energy Plan

The Illinois Commerce Commission issued a draft order of the Illinois Energy Agency’s renewable energy plan with few major changes as the April 3 deadline for a final order nears.

Last week the Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) issued its draft order of the Illinois Power Agency’s (IPA) Long Term Renewable Resources Procurement Plan. The Plan contains the renewable energy programs and mechanisms to finance and regulate projects including community solar and assistance for low and moderate income households and non-profit organizations. Over thirty issues were raised by intervenors in the 180 page draft order, with the large majority either being minor adjustments or upheld by the ICC.

Illinois Utilities Begin to Design Community Solar Programs Under New Energy Law

Illinois utilities and regulators are putting into motion plans for community solar programs under the state’s Future Energy Jobs Act that passed last year.

In filings with the Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) last month, ComEd outlined proposed terms and conditions for “Community Supply,” also referred to as community solar. Ameren Illinois has also recently filed paperwork with the ICC outlining changes to net metering policies as the state moves to implement community solar.

New Illinois Law Encourages ComEd to Champion Community Solar

Under a new tariff structure, consumers could subscribe to community solar projects and get credits on their bills equal to their share of the project.

Could Illinois’ new Future Energy Jobs Act (FEJA) provide an impetus to a new net metering-like structure for community solar projects? If a new proposal from ComEd is approved by the Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) (which regulates utilities in the state, that could become a reality.

‘Solar for All’: Can Illinois Energy Bill Live Up to Ambitious Promises?

After months of negotiations and surviving a contentious budget battle in the state legislature, the hard work of enacting Illinois’ comprehensive energy bill is underway.

The Future Energy Jobs Act calls for the installation of about 2,700 MW of solar in Illinois by 2030, a dramatic increase from the state’s current 75 MW.

“It’s going to be crazy, and it’s going to be really exciting,”said Lesley McCain, executive director of the Illinois Solar Energy Association. “We’ve seen such interest from around the country, from all types of developers focused on helping get this legislation built out correctly.”

3 Republican Governors Embrace Clean Energy’s Economic Promise

Last month, the U.S. inaugurated a new president who has vowed to abandon the landmark Paris climate agreement and roll back bedrock American environmental protections.

But turn to the states and you’ll find a different story, even in the red states that elected President Trump. In fact, Republican governors in the Midwest are prioritizing economic growth and job creation by accelerating investments in energy efficiency and renewable energy. In the few weeks after the election, leaders in Illinois, Ohio, and Michigan have adopted new policies that help tackle climate change and grow the clean energy economy.

Clean Energy Advocates Praise Passage of Major Illinois Energy Bill

The bill expands renewable energy development while keeping Exelon’s struggling nuclear plants in operation.

 

The Illinois General Assembly passed a major energy bill on Thursday that will allow Exelon’s Clinton and Quad Cities nuclear power plants to remain in operation as part of a broader package of measures to support clean energy in the state.

The Future Energy Jobs Bill (SB 2814) will direct $235 million in annual ratepayer subsidies to the uneconomic nuclear plants that collectively employ 1,500 full-time workers. Had the bill failed, Exelon planned to close the Clinton Power Station on June 1, 2017, and shutter the Quad Cities Generating Station a year later. The two facilities have lost a combined $800 million in the past seven years.

Court Makes Landmark Ruling On Illinois Wind Turbine Dispute

The Appellate Court of Illinois has ruled on a matter that pitted wind energy developers and landowners against the construction industry, law firm Howard & Howard has announced. In a landmark decision, the appellate panel ruled that AUI Construction could not foreclose a mechanic’s lien against a property on which it had erected a turbine after the upstream contractor declared bankruptcy.

According to John Kreucher, an attorney with Howard & Howard, this is the nation’s first case that considered whether commercial-scale wind turbines should be deemed personal property or fixtures in a lien dispute. Kreucher also says the importance of the ruling goes beyond the legal filing.

Here Comes the Sun: Rooftop Solar Panels Get Jump-Start in Illinois

Call it Illinois' welcome to SolarCity.

A compromise measure has surfaced in Springfield that's aimed at jump-starting the market in Illinois for solar panels on homeowners' rooftops, a much more common sight in states like Arizona and California. 

The new amendment to the bill, HB 2427, would require the Illinois Power Agency, which procures 

electricity on behalf of utility customers statewide, to buy up $30 million in electricity from clean sources, mainly solar installations.

Illinois Still in Search of Solution for 'Broken" Renewable Standard

A conflict between state laws continues to stifle renewable energy development in Illinois, a state with one of the most ambitious green power mandates that's already among the nation's largest wind energy producers.

Illinois passed a measure in 2007 requiring investor-owned utilities Commonwealth Edison and Ameren Illinois to gradually step up use of renewable energy to 25 percent in 2025. Wind development flourished in the state in subsequent years, driven partly by the law.

Illinois Not Meeting Goals for Solar Energy

Wording glitch in law at issue; state has yet to create market for trading renewable energy credits

Shawn Temple, a development director for Weston Solutions, said he has manufacturers, grocery chains and retailers interested in erecting solar panels along large swaths of abandoned industrial sites in Chicago.

Exelon, Enviros Agree on Law Change to Spur Green Energy

Exelon Corp., Illinois' largest power generator, and environmental groups have reached an agreement in principle on legislation to jump-start the state's stalled clean-energy industry.

More solar power projects would get built in Illinois under the proposal, which seeks to fix what environmentalists say is a broken Illinois renewable energy law.

Libertyville, IL adopts new energy program

The Village Board has adopted an ordinance authorizing Village participation in an electrical aggregation program that is expected to save about $200 a year off a resident’s electric bill.

The measure was initially passed in a referendum by 69 percent of the local voters in the March 20 primary election.

In a brief public hearing, with only one question from the public, the board quickly passed the enabling ordinance Tuesday night and made plans with previously-retained consultant Larry Shover, of Northern Illinois Municipal Electric Collaborative, to prepare a general mailing on Village letterhead to be sent to all residents and small businesses explaining the new alternative energy program.

Illinois enviro groups split over coal, renewable energy bill

Illinois environmental groups are split over an energy bill that funds a controversial “clean coal” power plant, but also boosts renewable energy in the state's electricity market.

Senate Bill 0678  would require Illinois utilities to buy electricity at above-market rates from a coal-to-gas power plant in Taylorville, to be built by Omaha, Neb.-based Tenaska Energy. By some estimates, Illinois residents and businesses could see their electricity rates rise by $12 billion over 30 years.

New Illinois energy bill includes some solar incentives

When the Illinois legislature voted earlier this week to override Governor Pat Quinn’s veto of Senate Bill 1652, it paved the way for greater solar energy development in the state.

The bill, titled the Energy Infrastructure Improvement Act, introduces tougher utility performance standards and provides payment assistance for low-income families. But the trailer bill introduced last week includes provisions and new policies that will encourage further renewable energy and especially solar energy development in Illinois.

Illinois companies poised to add thousands of jobs to help build Illinois' smart grid

Manufacturing, construction, high-tech and service businesses across Illinois plan to ramp up operations to help strengthen and modernize the state's electric grid. Several prominent business owners joined ComEd in calling for Governor Quinn to approve the Illinois Energy Modernization Act (SB 1652), and shared their plans for expansion if SB 1652 becomes law.

Illinois Governor Pat Quinn signs new wind energy law

CHICAGO, ILL. -- Governor Pat Quinn today announced the signing of two bills into law that advance clean wind energy in Illinois. The new laws create a council to study offshore wind energy projects in Lake Michigan and clear the way for more wind energy projects throughout Illinois.

“These bills give the state additional tools to further enhance Illinois’ growing renewable energy industry,” Governor Quinn said. “A thriving green energy sector will further strengthen Illinois’ economy, create jobs and boost our economic recovery.”