Searcy, Robbie to NEWS_BULLETINS Statewide renewable energy production up by 12 percent in 2013 Wind power continues to lead, with gains in solar generation and decreases in biomass and hydro May 16, 2014, AUSTIN, TX – Energy produced in Texas using renewable resources grew by 12 percent in 2013, while capacity increased by about 2 percent. The Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) provided these updates on statewide renewable energy reporting to the Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUC) this week in the 2013 Annual Report on the Renewable Energy Credit Trading Program. Generators participating in the state’s renewable energy credit trading program reported producing 38.1 million megawatt-hours (MWh) of renewable generation in 2013, compared to 33.9 million in 2012 — a 12 percent overall increase. At more than 36.9 million MWh in total generation, wind power represented nearly 97 percent of the total. Energy produced from wind generation was up by 13 percent compared to 2012. Solar energy production was up by about a third from last year, based on information from commercial solar resources and aggregators that participate in the program. Renewable energy reported Fuel Type 2013 (MWh) 2012 (MWh) Increase (%) Biomass 200,564 288,988 ̶ 31 Hydro 294,238 389,196 ̶ 24 Landfill gas 550,845 537,966 2 Solar 178,326 133,642 33 Wind 36,909,385 32,566,009 13 Total 38,133,358 33,915,802 12 A renewable energy credit (REC) is a tradable instrument that represents one MWh of renewable energy produced. That is roughly the amount of power consumed by an average home in a month. Competitive retail electric providers must acquire and retire renewable energy credits annually based on their load-ratio share of the state’s renewable portfolio standard mandate. Any electric provider may also retire renewable energy credits, on a voluntary basis, to support their own claims regarding renewable power sales. The Texas Legislature established the renewable portfolio standard as part of the restructuring of the state’s electricity market in 1999 to increase incentives for renewable energy production. The PUC implemented the REC program in 2001, and ERCOT began administering the program at the PUC’s direction. Capacity registered in Texas REC program* The amount of capacity reported in the REC report typically exceeds the total installed renewable capacity reported by ERCOT because the program includes renewable generation throughout Texas, not just the ERCOT region. Additionally, the program is voluntary and only tracks renewable resource generation registered in the program. Fuel Type 2013 (MW)* 2012 (MW) 2011 (MW) 2010 (MW) Biomass 232 232 132 108 Hydro 33 33 33 33 Landfill gas
Posted on: Fri, 16 May 2014 17:11:57 +0000
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