State Energy Officials Announce Milestone For Massachusetts RPS

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For the first time since the Massachusetts' renewable portfolio standard (RPS) began in 2003, the supply of electricity from renewable energy generators has exceeded demand for that power from the state's retail electricity suppliers legally required to purchase renewable energy for their customers.

The Department of Energy Resources' RPS annual compliance report for 2007 is an indication of the RPS' success in providing financial incentives to develop new renewable power in Massachusetts and the region. According to the report, the quantity of renewable power available to help investor-owned utilities and competitive suppliers meet their annual RPS obligations was significantly higher in 2007 than in 2006 – approximately 1.6 million MWh year versus 940,433 MWh in 2006. That supply exceeded utilities' 2007 RPS obligation to purchase at least 3% of their electricity in the form of new, renewable power.

‘This milestone in the commonwealth's renewable portfolio standard reflects the expansion of our clean energy sector and bodes well for continued growth of renewable energy for the region,’ Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Ian Bowles says. ‘With the increasingly ambitious requirements for RPS set by the Green Communities Act signed into law by Gov. [Deval] Patrick last summer, we look forward to the development of more renewable energy in the years to come.’


Massachusetts' RPS requires retail electricity suppliers to purchase a certain amount of RPS-eligible renewable energy certificates as a percentage of the power they sell to consumers. The minimum percentage of renewable power generation required of suppliers is 3.5% this year and 4% in 2009. Starting in 2010, the obligation will increase by 1% per year, reaching 15% by 2020.

To view the full report, visit mass.gov.

SOURCE: Department of Energy Resources

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