HartfordBusiness.com
Matt Pilon
February 8, 2016
Connecticut may soon source more of its clean energy from within its own borders, if newly proposed projects are successful in a unique and ongoing multi-state bidding process.
A joint procurement by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Rhode Island — the first of its kind for the states — garnered 24 bids from developers and companies for solar, wind, fuel cell and hydro projects, including five offering power that would be generated in Connecticut.
“This is good news for Connecticut’s ratepayers and signals the very real potential for us to deliver a cheaper, cleaner, and more reliable energy future for residents and businesses of our state,” said Department of Energy and Environmental Protection Commissioner Rob Klee, whose agency oversaw Connecticut’s participation in the bidding process.
The RFP, authorized by a 2015 state law, could result in ground-mounted solar installations that are four to eight times larger than the biggest existing facilities in Connecticut. It could also boost an already approved 63.3-megawatt fuel cell park in Beacon Falls — which would be not only the largest in Connecticut, but in the world.
The proposals are a response to the scale of the RFP, which is Connecticut’s largest ever for renewables, and requires a minimum project size of 20 megawatts to qualify. The three states teamed up to see if they could attract better pricing together than on their own. For full article.