The 2009 Regional System Plan released by ISO New England Inc. forecasts that the region is likely to have sufficient capacity to meet electricity demand through 2018. In addition, while more needs to be done, transmission upgrades and resource additions in recent years have bolstered the power system's ability to deliver a reliable supply of electricity to New England's residents and businesses, according to the report.
The report says that consumer demand for electricity is expected to grow slowly over the next decade, reflecting the impacts of the economic downturn, as well as the implementation of energy-efficiency standards for appliances.
Economic analyses conducted in 2008 of several hypothetical system expansion scenarios, as well as this year's New England 2030 Power System Study, done at the request of New England's six governors, show that large amounts of wind energy development within New England and expanded trade with Canada would require transmission improvements or expansion to move the electricity to load centers.
To prepare for the grid of the future, the ISO New England is conducting two major studies addressing the challenges of integrating large amounts of wind and demand resources into system operations and markets.
In addition, climate change legislation, the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative and the states' renewable portfolio standards are encouraging the development of renewable resources and investment in energy efficiency.
Current state targets call for 30% of the region's electricity use in 2020 to be met by renewable resources and energy efficiency. Renewable resource projects currently proposed in New England, as well as not-yet-proposed renewable energy from neighboring areas, small on-site renewable energy systems and the use of state-set alternative compliance payments, are among the possible solutions for meeting or exceeding the region's goals, according to the report.
SOURCE: ISO New England Inc.
