By TIM FAULKNER/ecoRI.org News staff
PROVIDENCE — A new report from the state Office of Energy Resources shows that Rhode Island's groundbreaking renewable-energy incentive program is creating local jobs.
The distributed generation (DG) contracts program, passed in 2011 by the General Assembly, helped launch 23 large wind and solar projects statewide through its fixed electricity-pricing system. The 15-year-pricing guarantee with National Grid provides consistent revenue for developers and helps secure financing for their projects and ultimately attain profitability.
Since December 2011 the DG program has, according to the report:
• Produced 23 solar and wind projects.
• Generated 18 megawatts of electricity capacity.
• $56 million spent on renewable projects.
• $17.8 million spent on local businesses.
• Created 442 full-time jobs during the design and construction of renewable projects.
• Created 5 full-time jobs during the 25-plus years of operation and maintenance of the projects.
EDITOR'S NOTE: We should also remember that fighting green energy projects has provided an uncalculated number of billable hours for lawyers.
Since December 2011 the DG program has, according to the report:
• Produced 23 solar and wind projects.
• Generated 18 megawatts of electricity capacity.
• $56 million spent on renewable projects.
• $17.8 million spent on local businesses.
• Created 442 full-time jobs during the design and construction of renewable projects.
• Created 5 full-time jobs during the 25-plus years of operation and maintenance of the projects.
EDITOR'S NOTE: We should also remember that fighting green energy projects has provided an uncalculated number of billable hours for lawyers.
The report notes that most of the new renewable projects, such as solar arrays, require little ongoing upkeep and therefore create only a handful of jobs after projects are completed. The report concluded, “Investment to date in the DG program has generated significant economic and job impacts, in addition to clean energy and peak (electricity) capacity."
The report offers important data for proponents of the DG program who are seeking an extension of the five-year pilot project through legislation in the General Assembly. The bills seek to expand the size and annual capacity of electricity set aside by National Grid for the program. The DG concept also has drawn considerable interest from developers and helped lower the fixed-pricing contracts, which are ultimately subsidized by electricity ratepayers.
National Grid prefers waiting a year to evaluate the benefits before extending the DG program. The project is set to expire at the end of 2014.
The DG program progressed on another front, as the Senate Committee on the Environment and Agriculture on June 12 approved Gov. Lincoln Chafee’s appointments to the Distributed Generation Standard Contract Board. The board make recommendations regarding pricing and annual targets, the makeup of renewable-energy classes and the terms of the contracts.
The new members include: Charity Pennock of the New England Clean Energy Council; Christine Malecki West of KITE Architects; Hannah Morini of the Renewable Energy Fund; Marion Gold, commisioner of the Office of Energy Resources; Kenneth Payne of the Rhode Island Agricultural Partnership; Thomas Teehan of National Grid; Samuel Bradner of the Peregrine Group; Sharon Conard-Wells of West Elmwood Housing; William Ferguson of The Energy Council of Rhode Island; Jennifer Hutchinson of National Grid; Ron Gerwatowski of National Grid; Joseph Cirillo, former state building commissioner; Julie Gill of the Oil Heat Institute of Rhode Island; Victor Allienello, energy consultant; Marsha Garcia of the University of Rhode Island; Timothy Stout of National Grid; Michael McAteer of National Grid; Thomas Kutcher of Save The Bay; and Christopher Rein of the ESS Group.
The commission has been vacant since it was established in 2011.
The report offers important data for proponents of the DG program who are seeking an extension of the five-year pilot project through legislation in the General Assembly. The bills seek to expand the size and annual capacity of electricity set aside by National Grid for the program. The DG concept also has drawn considerable interest from developers and helped lower the fixed-pricing contracts, which are ultimately subsidized by electricity ratepayers.
National Grid prefers waiting a year to evaluate the benefits before extending the DG program. The project is set to expire at the end of 2014.
The DG program progressed on another front, as the Senate Committee on the Environment and Agriculture on June 12 approved Gov. Lincoln Chafee’s appointments to the Distributed Generation Standard Contract Board. The board make recommendations regarding pricing and annual targets, the makeup of renewable-energy classes and the terms of the contracts.
The new members include: Charity Pennock of the New England Clean Energy Council; Christine Malecki West of KITE Architects; Hannah Morini of the Renewable Energy Fund; Marion Gold, commisioner of the Office of Energy Resources; Kenneth Payne of the Rhode Island Agricultural Partnership; Thomas Teehan of National Grid; Samuel Bradner of the Peregrine Group; Sharon Conard-Wells of West Elmwood Housing; William Ferguson of The Energy Council of Rhode Island; Jennifer Hutchinson of National Grid; Ron Gerwatowski of National Grid; Joseph Cirillo, former state building commissioner; Julie Gill of the Oil Heat Institute of Rhode Island; Victor Allienello, energy consultant; Marsha Garcia of the University of Rhode Island; Timothy Stout of National Grid; Michael McAteer of National Grid; Thomas Kutcher of Save The Bay; and Christopher Rein of the ESS Group.
The commission has been vacant since it was established in 2011.