Renewable Energy Focus
Utility Dive - Dec 20 The latest version of Lazard’s Levelized Cost of Energy Analysis (LCOE) shows a continued decline in the cost of generating electricity from solar technology and other renewables, bringing them into close competition with natural gas combined cycle plants. Lazard’s LCOE analysis tracked cost declines of about 11% for utility scale PV technologies and about 26% for rooftop residential PV compared with last year, along with lesser declines for other renewable technologies. But authors noted those variable resources require support from generators or energy storage.
Greentech Media - Dec 21 The Arizona Corporation Commission approved significant changes to the state’s distributed solar policies late Tuesday evening, which include lowering the credit residential solar customers receive for excess energy sent back to the grid and limiting how long customers can keep their rates. The decision replaces Arizona’s current retail-rate net metering policy with export credits based on short-term valuation methods, which solar advocates say will undermine customer choice and could hurt solar jobs in the state.
Los Angeles Times - Dec 15 State regulators last week approved the nation’s largest expansion of vehicle charging stations through a $130-million project that will be developed and run by Pacific Gas & Electric Co. The PG&E project will deploy 7,500 vehicle charging stations throughout Northern California, with locations at businesses as well as multi-unit dwellings and in disadvantaged communities.
Courthouse News Service - Dec 19 The Imperial Irrigation District has sued the University of California for records on a plan for California to help create a regional electricity market of 14 Western states — a plan the district believes could endanger California’s climate-change laws. The Imperial Irrigation District alleges the California Independent System Operator, the quasi-state agency that operates the state’s electric grid, encouraged university-affiliated attorneys to write a friendly legal opinion about the proposed grid expansion. Should such a regional grid be created, the irrigation district says, California could be forced to accept “dirty” electricity generated in other states, and federal lawsuits could destroy years of clean-energy legislation in California, due to preemption by the Interstate Commerce Clause and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.
PV-Tech - Dec 20 Independent PV developer 8minutenergy Renewables and D.E. Shaw Renewable Investments announced Monday that the 155-megawatt Springbok 2 Solar Farm in Kern County has been commissioned. Springbok 2 joins the 105-megawatt Springbok 1 Solar Farm, which was commissioned earlier this year. The two Springbok installations are expected to generate enough energy to supply clean power to over 110,000 homes through power offtake partner, Southern California Public Power Authority SCPPA.
San Fernando Valley Business Journal - Dec 16 The Western Antelope Dry Ranch solar plant in Lancaster is now producing enough renewable energy to power more than 1,800 homes, a significant step in the city’s initiative to become the first in the nation to produce enough clean energy to meet its electricity needs. The plant became fully operational in early December, and it will continue to generate 10 megawatts of renewable energy annually for the next 20 years in accordance with a power purchase agreement established in 2015 between the city and sPower, an independent energy firm. Energy from Dry Ranch will benefit area residents and businesses enrolled in the Lancaster Choice Energy program.
Central Valley Business Times - Dec 21 An 85-megawatt solar power plant in Lancaster, owned by sPower of Salt Lake City, is now online, sending its electricity to the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) under a 20-year power purchase agreement. Under terms of the contract, the “Solverde 1 Solar Facility” is to deliver approximately 240,000 Megawatt hours (MWh) annually, or nearly 4.8 million MWh over the life of the contract. The Solverde 1 Solar Facility is expected to replace SWP market energy purchases from natural gas power plants resulting in GHG emission reductions of 105,000 metric tons annually, DWR says.
Desert Sun - Dec 20 EDF Renewable Energy has struck a deal to sell electricity from its 150-megawatt Desert Harvest solar project in Riverside County to Marin Clean Energy, a Bay Area power provider. The San Diego-based developer can now start construction on the long-awaited project, which will be built on 1,200 acres of federal land just south of Joshua Tree National Park, next to the existing Desert Sunlight solar farm.
