Decarbonization by Publicly Owned Utilities and Community Choice Aggregators. by Decarbonization of Municipal Power.
Pitch
Publicly owned utilities and Community Choice Aggregators are electric power producers with strong potential to accelerate decarbonization.
Description
Summary
Abstract.
Publicly owned utilities (POUs) are not-for-profit electric power enterprises owned and operated by municipalities or regional districts. According to estimates by trade associations 85% if POU electricity is procured from wholesale electricity markets while 15% is generated internally. In 2019 approximately 2,000 POUs distributed over 49 states supplied nearly 15% of U.S. electricity. Community Choice Aggregators (CCAs) are municipal or regional districts procuring power directly from wholesale markets rather than relying on electricity provided by IOUs. Power delivered by about 550 CCAs in the eight states with enabling legislation is estimated at 5% of U.S. total. POUs and CCAs supply electricity to their customers at rates 10% to 15% below those of IOUs, with equal or greater reliability. Although the record on POU procurement of renewable sources is mixed, examples of exceptional performers in this category are numerous. Among CCAs nearly 20% of power procured exceeds state RPS requirements
Although regulation of POUs and CCAs varies across states the oversight is limited, allowing the enterprises significant autonomy for managing finances and operations. Increasingly, POUs and CCAs have been funding energy efficiency programs. More promising has been their investment in internal generation with renewables, in many cases reducing costs to levels enabling allocation of generous subsidies for conversions to electrification of end uses at scale.
While solar and wind have been dominant as generation sources, previously unfeasible power based on geothermal and hydrogen technologies is approaching cost parity with solar and wind. Importantly, geothermal and hydrogen do not the present the siting challenges of solar and wind in urban environments. Both technologies have been deployed successfully by POUs and CCAs in California, Nevada and Utah. Geothermal and hydrogen power may offer partial solutions to a potential supply deficit of renewable generation.
Is this proposal for a practice or a project?
Project
What actions do you propose?
TBD
Who will take these actions?
TBD
Where will these actions be taken?
United States
In addition, specify the country or countries where these actions will be taken.
United States
Country 2
No country selected
Country 3
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Country 4
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Country 5
No country selected
Impact/Benefits
What impact will these actions have on greenhouse gas emissions and/or adapting to climate change?
TBD
What are other key benefits?
TBD
Costs/Challenges
What are the proposal’s projected costs?
TBB
Timeline
TBD
About the author(s)
TBD
Related Proposals
TBD
References
TBD
By:
Decarbonization of Municipal Power.
