Changes will ensure quality and consistency in renewable energy training In late October 2009, the Institute for Sustainable Power, Board of Directors approved an updated version of the ISPQ (Institute for Sustainable Power Quality) Standard. Since then, IREC has been working tirelessly to revise all of the documents and processes related to the ISPQ Accreditation ... Read More
Archive for January, 2010
Alaska RCA Finalizes Net Metering Rules
Wednesday, January 20th, 2010On January 15 the Alaska RCA issued an order adopting finalized net metering rules. As we mentioned in previous IREC posts, these regulations allow net metering up to 1.5% of each electric utility’s average retail demand (roughly equivalent to 1% of peak demand). Systems must be owned or leased, and operated, by the consumer, and have ... Read More
Fort Collins adopts a formal net metering provision into city code
Wednesday, January 20th, 2010On January 19, the Fort Collins, CO City Council gave initial approval to an ordinance formally adding a net metering provision into city code. The ordinance passed unanimously. The council also approved an ordinance setting standards for connecting electrity-generating facilities to the city’s power system. The ordinance would limit net metering to 120 percent of ... Read More
Michigan PSC announces a sharp increase in net metering participants
Wednesday, January 20th, 2010On January 19 the Michigan Public Service Commission (MPSC) staff filed its annual net metering program report, which shows that the number of net metering customers in Michigan has more than doubled from July 1, 2008 through June 30, 2009. The MPSC in May last year adopted net metering and interconnection rules for small, renewable ... Read More
Utah PSC Modifies Draft Interconnection Rule
Wednesday, January 20th, 2010On January 7, the Utah PSC posted changes to the proposed rule for interconnection under Rulemaking Docket R746-312. The proposed rule specifies the application procedures, technical requirements, evaluations, inspections and maintenance requirements, fees and time lines which pertain to interconnection of facilities to public utilities. Notably this new strawman proposal revised a few items of ... Read More
Seven Candidates Receive ISPQ Award in December 2009
Tuesday, January 19th, 2010The Interstate Renewable Energy Council, Inc. (IREC) is pleased to announce that seven awards of the Institute for Sustainable Power Quality (ISPQ) accreditation and certification were presented in December 2009. Springfield Technical Community College, in Springfield Massachusetts, has been awarded ISPQ Training Program Accreditation for their course entitled “Photovoltaic Practitioner Certificate Program.”This course offers a ... Read More
IREC’s Larry Sherwood quoted in NYT for solar power installations in 2010
Tuesday, January 19th, 2010IREC’s Larry Sherwood was quoted in today’s (January 19, 2010) New York Times when asked about the amount of megawattts of solar that will be built in the U.S. in 2010. In the article, Sherwood was quoted as saying that some 500 to 600 megawatts of solar power will be built this year across the ... Read More
Maine PUC adopts “best practices” interconnection standards
Friday, January 15th, 2010MAINE –On January 4, the PUC issued an order in Docket No. 2009-219 (readers can look up the docket in the MPUC website) adopting statewide interconnection procedures. These procedures apply to all technologies, regardless of system size. The procedures establish four levels of review for interconnection requests and utility external disconnect switches are prohibited for ... Read More
New Mexico PRC upholds decision on third-party sales
Friday, January 15th, 2010NEW MEXICO –On December 22, 2009, New Mexico Public Regulation Commission regulators issued an order, under docket 09-00217-UT (accessible on PRC’s Infoshare site; note that users are required to register for a password) that allows customers to take advantage of third-party power purchase agreements with renewable energy developers. The PRC voted 4-1 to largely uphold ... Read More
California PUC provides standard offer option for CHP systems
Friday, January 15th, 2010CALIFORNIA –On December 17, the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) provided an opportunity for small combined heat and power (CHP) systems to sell excess electricity generation to investor-owned utilities under Assembly Bill (AB) 1613. The CPUC adopted two separate contracts for the purchase of excess electricity from eligible CHP systems. A standard contract will be ... Read More
