Renewable Energy Programs
DRA is the primary representative of ratepayers in renewable energy development. DRA actively participates in all of the renewable energy development proceedings including the Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS), Distributed Generation (including California Solar Initiative (CSI)) and RPS-related proceedings (Transmission, Long-Term Procurement Planning (LTPP), and Greenhouse Gas (GHG)/Climate Change).
In 2010, Governor Jerry Brown set a goal of installing 20,000 MW of renewable electricity by 2020. His Clean Energy Jobs Plan included a specific target of 12,000 MW of Distributed Generation targeting localized energy, in order to spur investment in renewable energy and help meet the state’s ambitious climate goals.
DRA filed comments in general support of the Proposed Decision adopting the Renewable Auction Mechanism (RAM) since it should spur near-term development of low-cost renewable projects at the distribution level and provide a new tool for renewable energy procurement. However, DRA also recommended several modifications in order to improve program effectiveness and protect ratepayers.
The Renewable Market Adjustment Tariff (Re-MAT) replaces California’s FiT program and is a market-based program for small, Distributed Generation (DG) renewable projects sized three megawatts (MWs) and under, which allows small renewable generators located within an IOUs’ service area to sell power to the IOU at a set price under predefined terms and conditions.
California's Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS)obligates investor-owned utilities (IOUs), energy service providers (ESPs) and community choice aggregators (CCAs) to procure an additional 1% of retail sales per year from eligible renewable sources until 33% is reached, no later than 2020. DRA has actively participated in all aspects of the RPS program implementation proceeding since its inception. In order to protect ratepayers from any unnecessary costs or overcharges in the utilities efforts to meet the RPS goals, DRA works to ensure that California's RPS goals are achieved in the most meaningful and cost-effective manner.