Download Washington’s renewable electricity PDF
Renewable Mandate Status: On Track
- 2009 Estimated Qualified Renewable Generation: 4.8%[i]
- 2012 Renewable Mandate: 3%
- 2020 Renewable Mandate: 15% for large utilities[ii] (84% of Washington’s load)[iii]
Eligible Resources: Solar Thermal Electric, Photovoltaics, Landfill Gas, Wind, Biomass, Hydroelectric, Geothermal Electric, Anaerobic Digestion, Tidal Energy, Wave Energy, Ocean Thermal, Biodiesel[iv]
Compliance Schedule: Each utility is required to submit a renewable resource energy report to the department by June 1 of each year, but only beginning in 2012[v] Utilities subject to the standard must use eligible renewable resources or acquire equivalent renewable energy credits (RECs), or a combination of both, to meet the following annual targets:
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Renewable portfolio history: In 2006, voters approved ballot Initiative 937, which requires utilities to implement all cost-effective energy efficiency measures along with producing 15% of renewable from its load[vi]
Credit Trading: Yes
Noncompliance penalty: $50 per MWh of renewable shortfall[vii]
Electricity Price Ranking: 4th Lowest[viii]
- 6.63 cents/KWh in Washington (the only state with a renewable energy mandate where electricity prices are more than a cent cheaper than states without a mandate)
- 7.67 cents/KWh in non-mandated states
[i] Energy Information Administration, Electricity Generation 2009, http://www.eia.doe.gov/cneaf/electricity/epa/generation_state_mon.xls.
[ii] 25,000 customers in the state of Washington: Washington state Legislature, (November 7 2006); WAC 480-109-020; http://apps.leg.wa.gov/WAC/default.aspx?cite=480-109-020.
[iii] Database of state Incentives for Renewable Electricity, Washington; http://www.dsireusa.org/incentives/incentive.cfm?Incentive_Code=WA15R&re=1&ee=1.
[iv] Database of state Incentives for Renewable Electricity, Washington; http://www.dsireusa.org/incentives/incentive.cfm?Incentive_Code=WA15R&re=1&ee=1.
[v] Washington state Legislature, (March 18, 2008); WAC 194-37-110; http://apps.leg.wa.gov/WAC/default.aspx?cite=194-37-110.
[vi] Database of state Incentives for Renewable Electricity, Washington; http://www.dsireusa.org/incentives/incentive.cfm?Incentive_Code=WA15R&re=1&ee=1.
[vii] WAC 480-109-050: Administrative Penalties: http://apps.leg.wa.gov/WAC/default.aspx?cite=480-109-050.
[viii] EIA, Electric Power Monthly, Table 5.6.B., Average Retail Price of Electricity, June 2010, Released Sept. 15, 2010, http://www.eia.doe.gov/cneaf/electricity/epm/table5_6_b.html.
