02 Feb
Before the start of January’s New England Clean Energy Transmission Summit, ACEG’s Bill White spoke with the Associated Press about the potential of clean energy and how FERC Order 1000 will enhance New England’s ability to incorporate renewable energy into its power supply.
All six states in the New England region have some sort of renewable energy portfolio standard. However, to help meet these standards, up to date transmission lines are needed to connect the region to its own remote sources of renewable power, like Northern Maine, as well as abundant, renewable sources from across the country. Modernizing a region’s transmission infrastructure can be a delicate process due to cost allocation and siting issues.
In his interview with the Associated Press, Bill White explained:
“While transmission costs are initially high, the infrastructure lasts decades, brings down costs, and is a good investment it in the long run. He said transmission costs average just 10 percent or less of the total on utility bills nationwide — electricity generation costs makes up the bulk of the bill.
New collaborative planning processes also mandated under the federal order will allow people to help determine which lines are needed, where they’re needed, and how they help states reach their own goals for things such as more renewable energy, White said. He thinks once that’s understood, the projects will find strong support.”
While more renewable power generation could do more than satisfy state mandates, it also has potential to decrease New England’s electricity prices, which are high because of the region’s dependency on fossil fuels.
To read the Associated Press story, click here.
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