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ACORE committee
provides renewable energy
forum for utilities
Transmission lines are not the only interconnections needed to deliver renewable energy to consumers. The lines of communication—between utilities, and between power providers and the renewable energy industry—must be opened, too, which is why the American Council on Renewable Energy formed a utility committee this year. "We felt that utilities needed to be able educate themselves about the technical and economic issues of renewable energy independent of advocates," said Tom Key of the Electric Power Research Institute. Key co-chairs the committee with Jeff Anthony of We Energies and Herjinder Hawkins, manager of Salt River Project's renewable energy and technology initiatives. "The committee is there to help support individuals who are designated as the renewable energy managers in their respective organizations," said Anthony. The utility committee’s “steering committee” includes members from Arizona Public Service, Austin Energy, Chelan County Public Utility District, EPRI, Hawaiian Electric Company, Inc., Sacramento Municipal Utility District, Salt River Project, Southern Company and We Energies. Other founding members include Alliant Energy, Ameren, Cinergy, Colorado Springs Utilities, Duke Energy, Pacific Gas & Electric, New Hampshire Electric Co-op, Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority, San Diego Gas & Electric and Southern California Edison. Membership in the committee is open to all U.S. investor-owned utilities, municipal utilities, cooperatives and federally-managed utilities. "The committee's priority is to be a resource for utilities, and we need experts to do that," said Key. The group does not admit vendors, consultants, lawyers or regulators yet. At this time, only load-serving entities may join. Education and networking at annual meetingThe utility committee focuses on three key activities to help utilities implement renewables policies: information exchange, networking opportunities and education on renewable energy concepts and issues facing utilities. During three conference calls this spring, the steering committee identified potential topics of interest to member utilities. The initial list included regulatory-based renewable portfolio standards, green pricing programs, best practices and success stories from utilities that have adopted renewable energy sources, analysis of renewable energy programs and projects at member organizations and data exchange between utilities and outside industries. Those issues were among a dozen different ideas discussed at the first annual meeting of the utility committee held April 10, which coincided with the POWER-GEN Renewable Energy & Fuels Conference in Las Vegas. ACORE co-hosts the event with PennWell Corporation in an effort to move renewables into the mainstream energy sector. "Co-locating our annual meeting with the conference provided the kind of networking and educational opportunities the utility committee envisions," said Key. "For every technical question members might think of during the meeting, there were experts to answer it in the exhibit hall." More than 30 utility representatives from California to Texas, Wisconsin, Georgia, Puerto Rico and New England attended the meeting. Participants included 11 co-ops, municipal utilities and other public load-serving entities. Familiar issues take priorityMembers voted on the committee's priorities for the coming year. The five top issues will look familiar to any utility trying to incorporate renewables into its portfolio:
The issues will be subjects of webcasts or teleconferences, Key said, and if there is enough interest, the utility committee will establish standing working groups. A working group for procurement will probably be the first topic since, "Utilities are 'leasing' more renewable energy than buying," noted Key. "They want to know how to do a purchase and what type of agreement involves the least amount of risk." Forward pricing will also require a working group, said Key, and additional research. The working group will seek research partners such as the Department of Energy and EPRI, as well as renewable energy manufacturers. ACORE expects to present the first webcast on utility ownership of renewable powerplants. There will probably be additional breakout sessions since ownership issues for investor-owned utilities are different from those of public power entities. RPS will be the topic of the committee's second webcast, and a working group may form. An upcoming webcast on system integration is also a high priority. Chance to shape renewable energy futureACORE encourages load-serving entities to join ACORE and become involved in the utility committee. "Utilities have the opportunity to take an active role in shaping the future of renewable energy and to develop working relationships with national leaders in business and government," said Key. He added that power providers are on the front line when it comes to communicating the costs and benefits of renewable energy to the public. The utility committee can help the industry prepare for leadership. Membership applications for the utility committee can be downloaded from the ACORE Web site. To get involved in the committee, contact the co-chairs or Tom Weirich, ACORE’s membership director, at 202-393-0001, ext. 7582.
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