Background
The western United States contains the fastest growing states in the country in terms of population and energy consumption. Renewable energy and construction of a new clean energy infrastructure will play key roles in meeting an estimated 55 percent increase in world energy demand by 2030, which will require $22 trillion of investment, according to DOE. As a Federal Power Marketing Administration, Western’s firm electric customers are impacted by this rapid growth, and our territory is in the heart of the Nation’s renewable energy potential.
Key facts
Western Area Power Administration annually markets and transmits more than 10,000 megawatts of clean, renewable power from hydroelectric powerplants owned and operated by the Bureau of Reclamation and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in 15 western and central states.
There are four cornerstones which support Western’s activities in renewable energy.
Accomplishments/Actions to date
Transmission accomplishments related to renewable resources
- Western has interconnected a number of renewable energy projects, both wind and solar, to our transmission system.
- We modified our tariff to standardize interconnection agreements for large and small generators (and wind energy).
- Together with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Western is preparing a programmatic Environmental Impact Statement on transmission interconnections for potential wind projects in the Upper Great Plains.
- Western markets Available Transmission Capacity in a non-discriminatory manner and works closely with wind developers to provide transmission service agreements.
- We participate in regional and sub-regional transmission planning forums that address renewable resource additions in the Western and Eastern Interconnection.
- In response to authority granted to the Secretary of Energy in Section 1222 of Energy Policy Act of 2005, Western solicited interest from entities in providing contributed funds for Western’s participation in upgrading Western’s existing transmission facilities or constructing new transmission lines.
Power marketing
- We conducted a Request for Interest regarding the purchase of renewable energy products for long-term power supply to supplement the power requirements of four of Western’s regions spanning the area of Arizona, New Mexico, Utah, Colorado and Wyoming.
- Western continues to encourage customers to join together in preparing regional Integrated Resource Plans and support regional transmission, generation and demand-side planning and developed tools for our customers to assist in meeting Integrated Resource Planning public participation requirements, specifically related to engaging their communities in considering renewables in their resource mix.
- Western works closely with our customer base to showcase state-of-art renewable, energy efficiency and conservation technologies.
Operations
- We facilitate wind-hydro integration studies and promote our willingness to conduct project-specific renewable-hydro integration studies when non-reimbursable funding is available.
- Western purchases ancillary services to support renewables via pass-through cost basis.
- Where renewable-hydro integration is not economical, we explore firming variable renewable resources with purchased generation available in the market on a pass-through cost basis.
- With the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Western constructed and installed the nation’s first Wind Farm Simulator Training Program for system operators to show dispatchers and other utility staff how wind generation affects an interconnected power system and how wind farms operate. Additionally, Western has hosted its fourth annual Wind Interconnection Workshop at the Electric Power Training Center, where the Wind Farm Simulator is located.
Renewable Resources for Federal Agencies Program
- Western purchases renewable energy credits—RECs—for our own loads (such as office electricity use).
- We make renewable energy credit purchases for any Federal agency upon request and make renewable energy purchases for Federal agencies within Western’s power marketing service area.
- Western has facilitated purchases for more than 27 Federal and preference customers, representing about $1.4 million in annual renewable energy purchases equating to about 503,838 MWh each year.
- Western completed 20-year agreements for two utility-scale solar photovoltaic projects for DOE at NREL in Golden, Colo. Western also provided assistance to with the Department of Defense at Ft. Carson, Colo. for a similar project.
Research and studies
- The Draft Feasibility Study Report for the Wind Hydropower Integration Feasibility Study evaluates the engineering and economics associated with integrating wind energy generated on Tribal lands to supply renewable energy to assist Western in meeting its firm power obligations in the Upper Great Plains.
- Western assisted the National Renewable Energy Laboratory with development of a Wind Integration Cost Share RFP, which was released in the spring of 2008. As a result of this RFP, $650,000.00 was awarded by NREL to Nebraska Power Association, the lead proposer on behalf of most of the states utilities. A Western representative is now on the Technical Committee for this effort.
- Western has initiated a new technical assistance service for the U.S. DOE Federal Energy Management Program and the Tribal Energy Program entitled Prefeasibility Transmission Studies. The studies identify transmission barriers and costs associated with developing renewable energy projects at specific sites within Western’s marketing area. Four such studies have been conducted to date, including three studies for FEMP and one study for the Tribal Energy Program. Western also performs renewable generator interconnection studies funded by the requesting entity and associated transmission service.
- Western is preparing a programmatic environmental impact statement on transmission interconnections for potential wind projects in the Upper Great Plains Region.
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