Ameren Missouri has proposed a new way to help large businesses and cities across Missouri reach their renewable energy goals.
Under the Renewable Choice Program, customers could subscribe to purchase up to 100% of their average energy usage from renewable resources. Ameren claims its program is the first of its kind in the state and one of only a handful in the nation. Pacific Gas and Electric Co. recently proposed a similar program in California.
“The Renewable Choice Program would give our environmentally minded business and municipal customers a convenient way to receive more of their energy from renewable resources,” explains Ajay Arora, vice president of environmental services and generation resource planning at Ameren.
The Renewable Choice Program builds off Ameren’s recently announced Integrated Resource Plan (IRP), which was developed with the input of stakeholders. That plan supports Ameren’s goal of transitioning its energy generation to cleaner sources while ensuring reliability and keeping customer rates affordable, the company says. The IRP calls for the addition of at least 700 MW of wind generation by 2020 and 100 MW of solar generation in the next 10 years. Ameren has also established a goal of reducing its carbon emissions 80% by 2050 from 2005 levels.
Ameren, which has filed its Renewable Choice Program proposal with the Missouri Public Service Commission, says talks are already in progress with several large customers. The company serves 1.2 million electric and 130,000 natural gas customers in central and eastern Missouri. Its service area covers 64 counties and more than 500 communities, including the greater St. Louis area.
“We know our customers are looking for personalized solutions that allow them more control over their energy use, and this is one of the ways Ameren Missouri is delivering,” adds Mike Mueller, vice president of economic and technology development at Ameren.
