Clean Energy Solution Series - Transmission Policy Reform: What does this mean for Renewables?

The Clean Energy Initiative’s panel discussion, Transmission Reform:  What Does It Mean for Renewables?, was a huge success.  The the third in our Clean Energy Solution Series, this panel addressed the July 21st Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s Rulemaking, Order 1000 and the future of renewable energy.  The Electricity 2.0 Program’s core mission is to leverage the potential of an open energy network to provide nationwide consumers with renewable energy.

Joe Kelliher, Vice President, NextERA Energy and former FERC Commissioner stated during our discussion, “Our electricity supply is changing, like it or not, there is a role for government policies that take these changes into account, including FERC's recent transmission planning and cost allocation rule."Joe Kelliher laid out the broader implications of how this FERC ruling would affect regional cost sharing and change the picture for wind developers and the renewable industry by ensuring a more balanced and fair cost allocation for the building of transmission lines.

Nina Plaushin, Vice President of Federal Affairs at ITC Holding, addressed how this ruling will create a new framework where interstate, regional, and interregional transmission projects may be fully considered and then linked to cost allocation authority.  With FERC Order 1000, this new framework should allow large scale transmission proposals to receive a fair evaluation that accounts for all of the benefits they generate for an entire region.  ITC Holdings is one of the largest transmission developers in the country.

Tom Vinson, Senior Director of  Federal Regulatory Affairs at American Wind Energy Association (AWEA), pointed out how wind’s phenomenal growth will be positively impacted by the FERC ruling which should result in more reasonable costs for the building of new transmission lines thereby enabling wind and other renewable resources to take a far larger share of the energy market.

Michael Moynihan, Director of  NDN/New Policy Institute’s Clean Energy Initiative, gave an overall perspective of the positive effects of this FERC ruling on the renewable industry.

Bill White served as the moderator.  Bill is a well respected figure in the clean energy community, and currently heads Americans for a Clean Energy Grid and Energy Future Coalition.

Unfortunately, due to a microphone malfunction, this event is unavaiable for webcast.

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