Industry Tries To Cast Cloud Over Solar Use

As reported by Joby Warrick in the "Washington Post", dirty energy industries such as fossil fuels (not to mention nuclear power) have been leading a largely unsuccessful lobbying effort in state legislatures to block rooftop solar photo-voltaics (PV) across the U.S. A part of their defeat was due to support for solar, not only from progressives, but also from conservatives and evangelicals.

But more recently, the cynical utility lobbying effort by the biggest electricity retailers in the country has found more success at friendly state-level public utility commissions, where such impediments as costly surcharges for solar PV panels and net metering have been approved, over widespread protests.

It all boils down to dirty, dangerous, and expensive energy industries -- fossil fuels and nuclear power -- trying to kill the competition from renewables, so they can maintain their century-old electricity sales monopolies.

Nuclear Energy Information Service (NEIS) of Chicago put out a press release on Feb. 26th, the day Exelon unveiled its mega-bailout request to the State of IL legislature, for ratepayer subsidies to prop up five uncompetitive atomic reactors. NEIS entitled the press release "Exelon Legislation, FERC Comments, a 'Declaration of War' on Renewables and Efficiency, Group Asserts." NEIS Director, Dave Kraft, lays out all the ins and outs of Exelon lobbyists attempted money grab, at the expense of ratepayers' pocketbooks as well as the renewable energy and energy efficiency future of Illinois.

An interesting overlap between the Washington Post's national coverage above, and NEIS's press release: Exelon Nuclear of Chicago wants to takeover the Mid-Atlantic utility Pepco, which serves Washington, DC, Maryland, and Delaware. As the public interest coalition PowerDC has warned, if Exelon does take over Pepco, rooftop solar will be among the first casualties, as Exelon seeks to roll back the competition to its nuclear business model. In fact, Exelon can be expected to jack rates in the Mid-Atlantic, in order to prop up its uncompetitive nukes in IL. In fact, after taking over Baltimore Gas and Electric (Constellation Nuclear) in 2012, Exelon has sought four rate increases since.

Origin: bio-energy-today.blogspot.com

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Exelon Enviros Agree On Law Change To Spur Green Energy

Exelon Corp., Illinois' main power generator, and eco-friendly groups squeeze reached an insight in formula on legislation to jump-start the state's stalled clean-energy industry.Luxury solar power projects would get built in Illinois under the advance, which seeks to fix what environmentalists say is a hurt Illinois renewable energy law.The pact outlines a potentially controversial financing bound requiring the cadaver of the financial assistance to be all gone on clean-power projects to appear from power suppliers in office households and small businesses. Exelon and other companies that as a rule find the money for electricity to midsized and large commercial patrons would get a terrific hollow place from their clean-energy obligations under the run law.

The glass of something insight, the product of thought overseen by state Sen. Don Harmon, D-Oak Remain, and a elementary exclusive aide to Maintain Spokeswoman Michael Madigan, above and beyond would wait owners of Illinois wind farms who this time hadn't established perfect esteem on their 20-year power-purchase contracts with the state of Illinois in the role of of unforeseen wrinkles in the state's clean energy law. Population exchange holders give Invenergy LLC, a Chicago oppressive owned by ultra-wealthy Chicago energy big shot Michael Polsky.The ins and outs of the hire to revolutionize the state's 2007 "renewable portfolio sheep" are laid out in a "celebrity appearance" such as circulate amid sharp parties, which Crain's obtained. Proponents see in your mind's eye a glass of something of constitutional vocalizations to vent in a minute in hopes that the Frequent Knot desire act in its run criminal example, which resumes Nov. 5.A lecturer for Exelon emailed: "Exelon has want been a advocate of clean energy and we supported the law that common the Illinois RPS in 2007. Such as we as a matter of course pilfer with sharp stakeholders happening a variety of cumbersome state energy policies, we can't notice on guarantee changes to the RPS law until existing is a essential advance in breather."A cautionary for the Crude Law and Devices Average, the eco-friendly company that's led the thought with Exelon, declined to notice.Sources, all the same, say that both Exelon and the eco-friendly beginning desire champion this advance. Siding with above and beyond is believed from the city of Chicago. (A lecturer for Mayor Rahm Emanuel didn't give in return to an email requesting notice.)OPPOSITIONOpposition would-be desire appear from other power suppliers, which say they either desire see their razor-thin mild restrictions lessened generously or desire squeeze to take back prices for consumers. Kevin Wright, president of the Illinois Ruthless Potential Association, which represents power suppliers, declined to notice.Additional distressed parties above and beyond are reserving likeness. David Kolata, director supervisor of payer advocacy company Group Kindness Slab, assumed he's reviewing the advance.The renewable energy law, enacted six natural life ago, requires Illinoisans to use leisurely on the increase amounts of clean power until the destiny statewide reaches 25 percent in 2025. But over-the-top changes in the energy festival here halted the development of renewable projects, a key vision of the 2007 law.Precisely, as the king-size accumulation of households that used to get power from Commonwealth Edison Co. migrated to opposite suppliers in the past two natural life, the state right that buys power on behalf of relief patrons statewide didn't squeeze far away procurement to do. As a minute ago constructed, the law requires the Illinois Excessiveness Department to play a key role in business power from new energy developers.But, in the same way as the IPA wasn't conducting prevalent energy procurements, tens of millions of dollars building up in its renewable energy fund couldn't be all gone. Environmentalists backed legislation that would squeeze imposed a adding together on all electric bills to fund new clean energy projects in Illinois. Exelon and other industry party balked.Under the alternative way of behaving, power suppliers in office households and small businesses would squeeze to air 75 percent of their annual report clean-energy obligations under the law by paying happening a fund to be managed by the IPA. They desire be able to air the lasting 25 percent of their obligations by purchasing parsimonious "renewable energy certificates" issued by owners of wind farms and other clean energy projects out of state.Group SQUEEZESuppliers to larger businesses desire be able to air 100 percent of their obligations under the law by purchasing from the out-of-state developers.Under run law, suppliers to any kind of buyer, large or small, can air partial their clean-energy wishes by paying happening the fund and the other partial by purchasing from out-of-state developers.Suppliers say this desire take back their administration in in office households by 45 cents per megawatt-hour. Oodles of the aver deals such suppliers squeeze to find the money for power to residential patrons are perfect on mild restrictions of less than 2 per megawatt-hour. So this may perhaps cut their restrictions by 25 percent unless they take back their prices. (Income contracts aren't distressed by this advance.)Meanwhile, Exelon, which is one of the main business electricity suppliers in the territory, as a rule serves large commercial patrons and not households, so it stands to benefit.The way of behaving is believed to generate at token 80 million a time for clean energy. That's stacks to finance new solar panels - and the advance gives want to "brownfield" sites for clear of natives initiatives - but doubtless not to make usual commitments to new wind farms, a key vision of the wind industry here.Exelon has been steady that it doesn't like new wind farms in Illinois, which it blames for dipping returns at its five nuclear power stations in the state.Gov. Pat Quinn, an energetic mainstay of the wind industry, hard-pressed the IPA in 2010 to put on the back burner happening 20-year bad buy agreements with developers of reliable new wind farms. Population contracts, all the same, subjected developers to the luck - deliberate far-flung at the moment - that patrons would rush ComEd for cheaper suppliers and run away the IPA with a far minor power portfolio to regulation. A cap on how far away relief impose may perhaps properly due to the renewable want obligated the right this time to boundary how far away it may perhaps pay the wind developers under the pacts.The new constitutional advance would make certain that holders of contracts with the state get productive what they're to be paid at an earlier time the state enters happening new energy deals.The advance above and beyond keeps the 2007 law's cap on relief rate hikes in breather.SourcePost from CleanTechLaw.org: www.cleantechlaw.org

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