Top Ten Utility Solar Rankings Report
Cleantech, Applied
There’s good news and bad news with this list.
The good news is that there is positive momentum. Not surprising,California has four solar heros – utilities which are really makingstrides to get solar into the generation mix. On another positive note,the Salt River Project, which was 25th on the list last year,sky-rocketed to #8 this year and Public Service Electric & GasCompany (PSE&G) out of New Jersey moved up two slots to capture the#3 spot. Clearly, these utilities have a vision for solar and have madeit a priority to drive successful integration into the grid.
The bad news is that even the largest solar utilities are stillrelatively small in scale, with Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E)Company leading the way with 82MW. Remember, both Spain and Germany have multiple solar farms that are 40MW each – half the total installedcapacity of the largest solar utility in the US. And even with thesefour California utilities on the list, California isn’t going to meetits goal of 20% renewable energy generation by 2010. With only 13% ofinvestor owned utility (IOU) retail sales being served by renewableresources in 2008, California will be lucky to crest 15% in 2009. Andwith energy consumption rising, it’s going to be almost impossible tomeet the 2010 goal.
What can we do about it?
• Tell your political representatives that you care about RenewablePortfolio Standards (RPS). Overwhelmingly, it is local support coupledwith strong pro-renewable regulation that drives this momentum.
• Tell your utility that you want renewables, particularly solar, tobe a bigger part of its power generation mix.
• And invest in solar for your own home or office.
Renewable energy makes a difference. And if you don’t think so, askthe folks on the Gulf Coast what our reliance on oil is costing us.
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