It’s official: Chicago will go 100% renewable
The City Council has approved Mayor Emanuel’s plan to transition the entire city’s electricity supply to renewable energy by 2035, which makes Chicago the largest U.S. city to set a 100% renewable energy commitment.
PREPA’s long-term plan is in chaos
Puerto Rico regulators have rejected the Integrated Resource Plan filed by the island’s utility; however the plan is also likely out of compliance with the island’s new 100% renewable energy law. In the interim, PREPA is moving to get gas plants online.
Puerto Rico to officially go 100% renewable
Senate Bill 1121 has been given final approval by the Puerto Rico legislature and is headed to the desk of Governor Ricardo Rosselló. When passed, it will make the island the fifth state-level jurisdiction to establish a 100% zero-carbon and/or renewable energy mandate.
Puerto Rico is on its way to 100% renewable electricity
A bill to mandate that the island’s electric system move to 100% renewable energy by 2050 has passed the Puerto Rico Senate and is being sent to the House for reconciliation, the last stop before it is expected to be signed by Governor Rosselló.
Puerto Rico plans stop short of the grid of the future
PREPA’s draft IRP calls for rapid deployment of solar and batteries, including the installation of as much battery storage as is currently online in the entire United States over the next four years, in a system broken up into “minigrids”. However, it stops short of utilizing behind-the-meter PV and storage.
As utilities fight distributed generation, electricity is getting less reliable
One of the best tools that would allow utilities to meet their central stated mission of providing a stable electricity supply is one they are fighting the hardest.
Puerto Rico utility favors LNG over solar in Siemens plan
The Puerto Rico utility’s favored generation plan, in a report prepared by Siemens, involves an LNG terminal at San Juan and would achieve only 55% renewables by 2038. A scenario without LNG would reach 79% renewables by 2038 at comparable cost, based on undisclosed cost assumptions.
Puerto Rico Governor “soft vetoes” 100% renewable energy bill
Governor Rosselló is reported to have sent the bill back to a committee over the massive tax credit it would reward to renewable energy projects, but other 100% renewable energy legislation is in the works.
Warnings about Puerto Rico 100% renewable energy bill
Solar providers have expressed concern about language allowing charges on net-metered systems, and IEEFA warns that the bill will enable a rush to gas.
Puerto Rico groups call for 100% renewables by 2050
The island would transition from 2% renewables now to 100% by 2050, in a plan collaboratively developed and endorsed by industry groups and city mayors.
