Preliminary Responses to Request for Information Identify
Over 4,700 MW of Renewable Generation

February 15, 2011 – The New England States Committee on Electricity (NESCOE) is pleased to report that renewable generation developers provided a robust and informative set of preliminary responses to NESCOE’s Request for Information (RFI) issued in December 2010.1 The RFI presents an opportunity for renewable project developers and transmission owners and developers to provide additional information by February 25, 2011 about these projects or about potential transmission projects that would facilitate the delivery of these and/or other renewable energy projects to New England loads. The totality of information provided in response to the RFI will inform future steps in the potential coordinated procurement of renewable energy resources to help meet New England’s renewable energy and environmental goals in the most cost-effective manner.

Developers of new renewable generation projects in New England and adjacent regions that: 1) could be operational by 2016; and 2) whose output would qualify for five New England states’ (Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Rhode Island) Renewable Portfolio Standards and Vermont’s renewable energy goals provided information on over fifty (50) renewable generation projects totaling more than 4,700 MW of nameplate capacity. Respondents provided information on key aspects of these generation projects including technology type, nameplate capacity, in-service date and general location. Wind projects – on-shore and off-shore combined – represent over 90% of the total generation capacity submitted in preliminary responses to the RFI.

NESCOE presents a preliminary categorization of the initial generation responses received in the tables below. Table 1 shows the total nameplate generation capacity by state (with a separate column from projects that would be located in regions adjacent to New England) and by generation technology.

Table 1

[see pdf version]

Table 2 shows the total generation capacity by technology type and year of initial commercial operation.

Table 2

[see pdf version]

Finally, Table 3 shows that if all of the renewable generation projects submitted to the RFI are developed and produce energy at levels that would be expected for those technologies, the projects could collectively produce approximately 15,000 GWh / year. That is approximately 11% of the total forecasted energy use in New England for the year 2017.2 This data does not include energy from renewable generation projects currently operating or those in ISO-New England’s queue that did not provide information in response to the RFI.

Table 3

[see pdf version]

NESCOE appreciates the time generation developers took to provide information on generation projects that could help meet the region’s renewable energy goals. NESCOE looks forward to receiving additional information, including from transmission owners and developers, later this month.