Vermont regulators last week published rules establishing what it calls a standard-offer program for medium-sized renewable energy programs in the state. The program will function like a feed-in tariff, guaranteeing purchase prices for power produced from solar, wind, biomass and other renewable resources.
As directed by the Vermont Energy Act of 2009, the Public Service Board is creating the program for qualifying SPEED (sustainably priced energy enterprise development) resources with a plant capacity of 2.2 megawatts (MW) or less.
The total standard offer program is capped at a total of 50 MW, and applications will be accepted beginning October 19.
The program guarantees payments of 30 cents per kilowatt-hour for solar power; 20 cents for small-scale wind; 12.5 cents for hydro, large-scale wind and biomass; and 12 cents for power produced from the burning of landfill methane gas.
Feed-in tariffs for renewable energy are gaining traction in the U.S. Just last week, the Hawaii Public Utilities Commission set the framework for a state-wide program.
San Francisco Small Wind
San Francisco is hoping to incentivize small-scale wind power on building tops throughout the city. Mayor Gavin Newsom last week unveiled a plan that offers 29 recommendations for promoting small scale wind turbines. These include producing wind maps for the city, reducing permitting costs and shortening approval times.
"We want to challenge the perception that wind is a rural or suburban phenomenon and not an urban resource," Newsom said.
Read New York Times coverage at the link below.
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