Renewable portfolio standard expanded

ALBANY, NEW YORK - In a big win for renewable energy developers in the state, the Public Service Commission has expanded the so-called Renewable Portfolio Standard that provides subsidies to clean energy projects.

The PSC issued an order allowing an additional $200 million to be spent for large-scale projects. That's on top of $95 million in subsidies that the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority said it recently awarded to five projects, including two in the capital region.

"It's a major jump," said NYSERDA spokesman Jeffrey Gordon. "It's a healthy increase."

The increase is needed because the state has also expanded its renewable energy goals. Former Gov. George Pataki first set the goal for the state to get 25 percent of its energy from renewable sources such as wind and hydro by 2013.

Gov. David Paterson has pushed the goal to 30 percent by 2015.

The commission's order follows approval of the increase by four of the commission's five members at its December meeting.

"We've been working toward this for months and months and months," said PSC spokesman James Denn.

Commissioner Robert Curry voted against the additional spending, saying it was unclear if the RPS, which will cost New Yorkers $2 billion over the next 15 years, is worth the money as currently structured.

"I respectfully dissent because the RPS as proposed is too costly to New York ratepayers and the commission has not taken sufficient time to adequately and completely debate the issues embedded in the expansion of the existing program," he wrote as part of the order.

NYSERDA collects money for the RPS through a special fee on utility bills. Collections totaled $83 million in 2009, with $100 million expected to be collected this year. The average homeowner pays roughly $3 a month in charges. The program has been responsible for adding 1,200 megawatts of new, clean electricity generation in the state.

The projects funded through NYSERDA's latest "solicitation" as it is called, include two hydro plants in the Capital Region owned by Brookfield Renewable Power of Canada that have expanded capacity.