New Hampshire utility regulators are considering a three-year statewide energy efficiency plan proposed by several electric and gas utilities. The case could shape the near-term future of New Hampshire energy efficiency programming.
Under a 2016 settlement agreement, the New Hampshire Public Utilities Commission approved the implementation of an Energy Efficiency Resource Standard (EERS) beginning
2018,
subject
to
Commission
approval
of
the
specific
programs
proposed
to
meet
this
standard. On
September
1,
2017,
utilities Liberty Utilities, Public Service Company of New Hampshire, Unitil Energy Systems, Inc. and Northern Utilities, Inc. jointly proposed a 2018-2020 Statewide Energy Efficiency Plan for
approval
by
the
Commission. The proposed 2018-2020 New Hampshire Statewide Energy Efficiency Plan document spans 369 pages, and is supported by testimony filed by the utilities.
As described by the utilities, their proposals would extend and expand existing "NHSaves" programs for another 3 years, and would add new initiatives including "a new
residential
energy
audit
option,
a financing
option
for
moderate
income
residents,
new
measure
offerings
in
both
residential
and
commercial
programs,
and
multi
-year
energy
planning
to
encourage
long-term
energy
savings
projects
among
large
commercial
customers."
According to the utilities, the
measures
implemented
through
the
2018-2020
Plan
will
save
more
than
4 billion
electric
kilowatt-hours
and
7.5
million
natural
gas
MMBtu, plus another 5.4
million
MMBtus
from
other
fuels, yielding customer
energy
cost
savings
of
more
than
$867
million
in
energy
costs
over
the
life
of
the
measures.
The utilities also project that the
measures
"will
reduce
peak
demand
by
39
MW,
which
in
tum
will
reduce
costs
for
all
customers."
The Commission has docketed the proceeding as Docket No. DE 17-136, and set a procedural schedule for the case including the filing of testimony and pursuit of possible settlement through November 2017, with hearings on the merits in early December.
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Showing posts with label program. Show all posts
Showing posts with label program. Show all posts
Maine PUC considers community energy projects
Thursday, September 17, 2015
The Maine Public Utilities Commission is evaluating the viability of proposed community-based renewable energy projects that remain under development.
Maine has run a community-based renewable energy program since 2009. The program gives qualified wind, solar, and other renewable energy projects long-term contracting opportunities to sell the facility’s output to a Maine transmission and distribution utility at attractive rates.
In 2015, the Maine Legislature adopted P.L. 2015 ch. 232, An Act to Amend the Community-based Renewable Energy Program”. Beyond minor revisions to the law, the act adds strict deadlines for key program milestones: the Public Utilities Commission has until December 31, 2015 to order or allow utilities to enter into long-term contracts under the program, and all projects selected for a contract must become operational and commence generating electricity by December 31, 2018.
Section 5 of the Act also created a new "viability assessment" process designed to make sure the program is as effective as possible. The program size is capped at 50 megawatts statewide; all of this capacity was quickly claimed by certified projects. But not all projects that have been certified are operational; some have yet to be built. Some stakeholders expressed concern over "permit banking" -- developers obtaining and holding onto program capacity, without actively developing it, while other projects would move forward if they could get the capacity.
As a result, the Legislature directed the Commission to review all certified projects that have not yet reached commercial operations, to determine whether the projects are reasonably likely to achieve commercial operations within a 3-year period. If the Commission determines a project will not be viable by December 31, 2018, the Act directs the Commission to revoke any contract awarded, but such projects will remain certified under the program. If the removal of nonviable projects frees up program capacity for contracting, the law directs the Commission to conduct an expedited request for proposals to select community-based renewable energy projects to become program participants and enter into long-term contracts.
The Commission's viability assessment process is now ongoing. A July 13, 2015 procedural order identified six projects as having been either certified or awarded a contract, but not been placed in commercial operation. Project developers were invited to submit information related to the viability assessment by August 7.
The Commission meets on September 22 to deliberate on the viability assessments.
Maine has run a community-based renewable energy program since 2009. The program gives qualified wind, solar, and other renewable energy projects long-term contracting opportunities to sell the facility’s output to a Maine transmission and distribution utility at attractive rates.
In 2015, the Maine Legislature adopted P.L. 2015 ch. 232, An Act to Amend the Community-based Renewable Energy Program”. Beyond minor revisions to the law, the act adds strict deadlines for key program milestones: the Public Utilities Commission has until December 31, 2015 to order or allow utilities to enter into long-term contracts under the program, and all projects selected for a contract must become operational and commence generating electricity by December 31, 2018.
Section 5 of the Act also created a new "viability assessment" process designed to make sure the program is as effective as possible. The program size is capped at 50 megawatts statewide; all of this capacity was quickly claimed by certified projects. But not all projects that have been certified are operational; some have yet to be built. Some stakeholders expressed concern over "permit banking" -- developers obtaining and holding onto program capacity, without actively developing it, while other projects would move forward if they could get the capacity.
As a result, the Legislature directed the Commission to review all certified projects that have not yet reached commercial operations, to determine whether the projects are reasonably likely to achieve commercial operations within a 3-year period. If the Commission determines a project will not be viable by December 31, 2018, the Act directs the Commission to revoke any contract awarded, but such projects will remain certified under the program. If the removal of nonviable projects frees up program capacity for contracting, the law directs the Commission to conduct an expedited request for proposals to select community-based renewable energy projects to become program participants and enter into long-term contracts.
The Commission's viability assessment process is now ongoing. A July 13, 2015 procedural order identified six projects as having been either certified or awarded a contract, but not been placed in commercial operation. Project developers were invited to submit information related to the viability assessment by August 7.
The Commission meets on September 22 to deliberate on the viability assessments.
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