In This Issue:

California utilities miss state-mandated renewable energy goal; RENEWABLE ENERGY FOCUS - EPA delays GHG reporting deadline; On-farm renewable energy production shows strong growth; CPUC president bashes FHFA at PACE conference; U.S. solar growth hinges on big cash infusions; NRG CEO predicts diminishing demand for large-scale solar projects; Analysis: Distributed solar not a threat to solvency of utilities; DOE partners with U.A.E. program on solar PV coating project; Iberdrola to slash investment in new capacity in 2012; Wisconsin suspends wind siting rules; GOP legislators aim to keep California hydro projects running; SCE plans $750M solar power transmission project; SCE transmission line draws fire from SoCal residents; NOTABLE RENEWABLE ENERGY PROJECTS AND DEALS PG&E starts work on 50 MWs of new 250-MW solar project; L.A. utility places $32M order for residential solar PV panels; Solar Millennium close to securing $3.8B financing for California solar plant; SunRun, SunWize form partnership on residential solar PV; Spinnaker aquires 707MW Martifer renewables assets; AES announces financial close on California wind project; and U.S. offers $102M loan guarantee for Maine wind project.

California utilities miss state-mandated renewable energy goal

SF Gate - Mar 4

California's three largest utilities have failed to meet a state mandated goal of obtaining at least 20% of their electricity from renewable sources. The Renewables Portfolio Standard, enacted by the California Public Utilities Commission in 2010, required utilities in the state to attain the 20% goal on March 1. While none of them succeeded, Southern California Edison came closest, with 19.4% of its energy coming from renewable sources. Pacific Gas & Electric also came close to the target, with 17.7% of the energy it sold sourced from renewables. San Diego Gas & Electric obtained only 11.9% of its power from renewable sources. The utilities will still be able to comply with the CPUC goal by exceeding the 20% goal by, at minimum, the same amount by which they fell short in 2011 within the next three years.

Please see full update below.