February 2010 Connecting to the Grid Newsletter
WHAT’S NEW AS OF FEBRUARY 2010? Note from the Editor: Innovative Utility Practices, a Focus on Co-ops Our centralized-generation model of energy infrastructure was clearly a driving force behind the acceleration of American economic development in the 20th century. Considering the current media and political buzz around transitioning to a clean energy economy, the U.S….
WHAT’S NEW AS OF FEBRUARY 2010?
Note from the Editor: Innovative Utility Practices, a Focus on Co-ops
Our centralized-generation model of energy infrastructure was clearly a driving force behind the acceleration of American economic development in the 20th century. Considering the current media and political buzz around transitioning to a clean energy economy, the U.S. is in the midst of rethinking this model. Many forward-thinking utilities have already begun to transform their business-as-usual approach to fit the next-generation of power delivery needs.
The three main types of utilities, investor-owned, municipal and cooperative, are similar in many respects but their fundamental structure and purpose differs enough to cause variations in their approach to net metering and interconnection policies. Despite the inherent constraints of each utility type, some utilities have heeded the call for more and cheaper options to connect renewable energy to the grid. This month we begin to look at some of the constraints that bind utilities’ policy-making abilities and ways that utilities are working with the system to ramp up renewables. I’ll start the discussion with electric cooperatives and in subsequent months we will be following up with a look at municipal and investor-owned utilities. [Continued in Newsletter]
State News in Detail
Northeast States
Connecticut to Hold Hearing on Network Interconnections
Con Edison Calls for More Solar Projects; PSC Approves Net Metering Tariffs
Rhode Island Releases State-Wide Energy Plan
Vermont PSB issues FIT order
Mid-Atlantic States
New Jersey Removes 2 MW Cap on Net Metering
Midwestern States
Michigan PSC Announces a Sharp Increase in Net Metering Participants
Southern States
Florida’s FKEC Initiates Solar Community Lease Program
Western States
California PUC Proposes Alternate Decision Approving PV DG Program; SMUD opens and closes FIT queue
Fort Collins, Colorado Adopts Formal Net Metering Provision into City Code
Utah PSC Issues Proposed Rules for Interconnection; RMP responds with proposed agreements
Other States
Alaska RCA Finalizes Net Metering Rules
Miscellaneous News and Events
NREL Releases FIT Report
President’s Office Requests Info on Smart Grid Interface
San Francisco Adopts PACE Financing Model
Download the full newsletter as a PDF: February 2010 Connecting to the Grid
FORMAT
While customer-sited net metering and interconnection policies are primarily addressed at the state level, they are also becoming important on a regional basis. This newsletter has been designed to provide state-level policy updates and capture emerging regional trends. Connecting to the Grid is a free, electronic newsletter published each month by the Interstate Renewable Energy Council, Inc. (IREC) and the North Carolina Solar Center at North Carolina State University. Click here to subscribe.
Editor: Laurel Varnado
NC Solar Center, NC State University
