Renewable Energy in the Northeast Good Opportunities; Significant Obstacles presented by Warren Leon Massachusetts Technology Collaborative June

What Is Renewable Energy?  Energy that won’t run out if properly managed  Solar  Wind  Water (rivers, tides, waves)  Bioenergy (plants)  Geothermal

The Dilemma  Renewable energy would make a significant impact  It’s maddeningly hard to bring renewable energy into widespread use, even though the vast majority of people in the Northeast support it

What Renewable Energy Has Going For It  Urgent need to diversify the energy supply.  Public likes the idea of renewable energy.  Public officials and key stakeholders support it.  Offers environmental and economic benefits.  Favorable public policies.

Why Renewable Energy Makes Sense for the Northeast  High electricity prices  No indigenous fossil fuels  Need local markets to help start-up companies

PV Provides Power at the Right Time

Many Barriers and Obstacles  Permitting and siting are difficult  A densely populated region with relatively little land for development.  Easier to prevent something from happening than to make something happen.  Often essential to have strong public support but it generally is not enough.

More Obstacles  Many entities have input into whether a project goes forward.  The more technically novel or complex a change, the more barriers need to be overcome.  Some public policies don’t work as intended.

Deciding on a Project: One Size Does Not Fit All  Variables  Technology  Energy Resources  Construction Costs  Local Impacts  Onsite Load  State Incentives

First Steps  Start with the most cost-effective, but unlikely, technologies: landfill gas, hydro, wind.  Assess the resource  Check for deal- changing incentives (e.g., RPS, net metering)

Second Steps  Defer analysis of secondary incentives  Consider bringing in a private partner/developer  The sun shines everywhere  Consider third- party ownership