CPUC Moves State Closer to Renewable Power Goals

The CPUC approved solar contracts for Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) and San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E), furthering the state’s progress towards its renewable energy goals.

In November the CPUC approved a PG&E renewable energy contract with Mojave Solar, LLC., an affiliate of Abengoa Solar, Inc., which is developing a 250 megawatt concentrating solar power 
parabolic trough renewable energy generation facility in San Bernardino County.

Also in November the CPUC approved five 25-year power purchase agreements for SDG&E with LanEast Solar Farm, LLC; LanWest Solar Farm, LLC; Desert Green Solar Farm, LLC; Rugged Solar, LLC; and Tierra Del Sol Solar Farm, LLC. The projects will be located in Boulevard and Borrego Springs, Calif. Energy deliveries from the projects are anticipated to begin in 2014. The power purchase agreements are for five solar concentrating photovoltaic facilities that will provide a combined 114 megawatts of new renewable capacity and an estimated 280 gigawatt-hours of energy annually.

California’s Renewables Portfolio Standard (RPS) is the most ambitious in the country, requiring investor-owned utilities, electric service providers, and community choice aggregators to procure 20 percent of their power from renewable sources by 2010. Senate Bill 2 (First Extraordinary Session), signed into law in April 2011, extends the 20 percent renewable energy goal by 2010 to a 33 percent target by December 31, 2020.

News taken from CPUC public website.