http://www.clf.org/blog/clean-energy-climate-change/the-next-opportunity-for-growing-renewable-energy-in-new-england/ For a thriving New England Thu, 14 Feb 2013 21:21:35 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 http://www.clf.org/blog/clean-energy-climate-change/the-next-opportunity-for-growing-renewable-energy-in-new-england/#comment-2274 Kevin Jones Wed, 01 Aug 2012 20:31:06 +0000 http://www.clf.org/?p=10771#comment-2274 Regional procurement of renewables is an interesting idea. Before this could be effective for New England there must be some basic commonality among renewable policies across the New England states. Vermont's current renewable policies are at best currently an illusion given that Vermont does not have an RPS and its two current programs SPEED (which promotes contracts with larger scale renewables) and the standard offer (which is a feed in tariff) allow the sale of RECs from these projects into the RPS programs of other New England states. Since utilities have no requirement to keep the RECs they view it as prudent to essentially sell all of them into out of state RPS programs. The result is that Vermont state policy procures no new renewables and anyone the claims differently is double counting. Vermonters really are purchasing expensive brown power. Until this policy ends and VT requires the retirement of RECs through a real RPS and/or Feed in tariff then Vermont's participation in regional procurement would be a sham. CLF should lead the effort to change this policy. Regional procurement of renewables is an interesting idea. Before this could be effective for New England there must be some basic commonality among renewable policies across the New England states. Vermont’s current renewable policies are at best currently an illusion given that Vermont does not have an RPS and its two current programs SPEED (which promotes contracts with larger scale renewables) and the standard offer (which is a feed in tariff) allow the sale of RECs from these projects into the RPS programs of other New England states. Since utilities have no requirement to keep the RECs they view it as prudent to essentially sell all of them into out of state RPS programs. The result is that Vermont state policy procures no new renewables and anyone the claims differently is double counting. Vermonters really are purchasing expensive brown power. Until this policy ends and VT requires the retirement of RECs through a real RPS and/or Feed in tariff then Vermont’s participation in regional procurement would be a sham. CLF should lead the effort to change this policy.

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