Energy
PR Newswire | October 16, 2023
Thanks to a recent collaboration between Duke Energy Florida and One Tree Planted, customers who subscribe to the company's community solar program, Clean Energy Connection, will have the opportunity to support clean energy and contribute to restoration efforts at one of Florida's most-treasured state forests.
Through the program, Duke Energy Florida customers can subscribe to solar power and earn credits toward their electricity bills without the commitment of installing or maintaining rooftop panels. And, for every kilowatt a residential customer subscribes to the program before Nov. 15, the company will work with One Tree Planted to plant a tree in the Lake Wales Ridge State Forest in Polk County.
"At Duke Energy Florida, we are committed to delivering a cleaner, brighter energy future for our customers, communities and the environment."
said Melissa Seixas, Duke Energy Florida state president.
By working with agencies like One Tree Planted, we are able to deliver on that commitment and provide customers with an opportunity to support renewable energy and protect Florida's environment.
[Source: PR Newswire]
One Tree Planted will plant longleaf pines and South Florida slash pines on two sites in the state forest. The project is expected to improve the quality of recreational opportunities and improve the soil and water for the plants and animals that live here. Customers who enroll before Nov. 15 will add to the more than 7,000 trees being planted on behalf of the company's current subscribers.
The Lake Wales Ridge State Forest is home to threatened and endangered plant and animal species including the Florida scrub-jay, gopher tortoise, papery Whitlow-wort, Florida blazing star, and cutthroat grass.
How the community solar program works
Customers subscribe to a portion of solar energy from the company's Clean Energy Connection solar portfolio. The monthly subscription fee will help pay for the cost of construction and operation of the renewable energy centers and is conveniently added to a customer's regular electric bill. Customers also receive a corresponding subscription credit that represents their share of the energy produced by the solar centers in a given month, multiplied by the subscription credit rate, which begins to escalate annually after three continuous years of subscription in the program.
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Energy
PR Newswire | October 20, 2023
FirstEnergy Corp. issued a Request for Proposal (RFP) to purchase Ohio-compliant Renewable Energy Credits (RECs) for its Ohio subsidiaries – Ohio Edison, The Illuminating Company and Toledo Edison. The purchases will help meet the companies' 2023 renewable energy targets established under Ohio's alternative energy law.
RECs sought in this RFP must be
Eligible for compliance with the companies' 2023 renewable energy obligations.
Sourced from generating facilities certified in accordance with rules and procedures put forth by the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO).
Deliverable through PJM Environmental Information System Generation Attribute Tracking System (EIS GATS) and generated between Jan. 1, 2021, and Dec. 31, 2023.
The companies plan to purchase 570,000 RECs, which can include solar renewable energy credits. One REC represents the environmental attributes of one megawatt hour of generation from a PUCO-qualified renewable generating facility. The cost of the RECs is recovered from the utility's standard service offer customers through a monthly charge filed quarterly with the PUCO.
No energy or capacity will be purchased under the RFP. The number of individual bidders is not limited. Participants in the RFP must meet and maintain specific credit and security qualifications and must be able to prove their REC generating facilities are certified or in the process of becoming certified by the PUCO.
The RFP is a competitive process managed by CRA International, Inc., a worldwide leader in providing services. Based on the RFP results, the Ohio utilities will enter into agreement(s) with winning suppliers to purchase the necessary quantities of RECs.
FirstEnergy's Ohio utilities have a website, www.firstenergy-recrfp.com, to provide bidders with a central source of documents, data and other information for the RFP process.
On Oct. 24, 2023, at 11:00 a.m. EPT, the FirstEnergy Ohio utilities and their consultant, CRA International, will conduct a webinar to outline the RFP process and the terms of the agreement, as well as to provide a forum to submit any questions. Questions also may be submitted during the RFP process directly through the RFP website.
To participate in the RFP, potential bidders are encouraged to submit credit applications by Nov. 17, 2023, and proposals are due Nov. 28, 2023, by 5 p.m. EPT.
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Energy
PR Newswire | October 26, 2023
The U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) announced a new Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between GSA and Southern Company to develop carbon pollution-free electricity (CFE) options for federal facilities in Southern Company's service territories. The MOU documents the intent of GSA and Southern Company to collaborate on development of a roadmap that, when executed, will lead to federal agencies in that region buying more CFE and achieving reliability and resiliency objectives outlined in Executive Order 14057 [lnks.gd].
The Biden-Harris Administration is leading by example to tackle the climate crisis through President Biden's Federal Sustainability Plan, which establishes an ambitious path to achieve 100% CFE for Federal government operations by 2030, including 50% on a 24/7 basis, along with aggressive goals for electric vehicles and net-zero emissions buildings.
said GSA Administrator Robin Carnahan.
This is our fourth MOU with a utility company and it's another example of how GSA is leading by example in tackling climate change, using our buying power and real estate footprint to move markets, create demand, drive efficiency, and catalyze efficiency and clean energy innovation. Through smart partnerships with energy service providers, we can help advance sustainability, create jobs, save taxpayer dollars, and ensure a healthier planet for our kids.
[Source:PR Newswire]
"Today's announcement delivers on President Biden's vision to build a new economy powered by clean energy—one that creates well-/paying jobs for American workers, healthier air for communities, and increases our energy independence," said Andrew Mayock, the Federal Chief Sustainability Officer with the White House Council on Environmental Quality.
Southern Company has a goal to reach a 50% reduction in emissions by 2030, from 2007 emissions levels, and reach net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. Currently, the United States Army is the largest federal customer served by Southern Company.
"The Department of Defense and the Army are committed to using carbon-free energy to support our national defense mission," said the Honorable Rachel Jacobson, Assistant Secretary of the United States Army, Installations, Energy and Environment. "Distributed Carbon-free energy generation–when integrated into a modernized grid that includes large-scale storage, upgraded transmission lines, and enhanced cybersecurity controls - is the best way to promote resilience so we can continue to deploy, fight, and win the nation's wars. The Army applauds the GSA-Southern Company agreement. The agreement demonstrates the exact kind of collaboration that is key to improving the reliability and resilience of the commercial grid and achieving our carbon-free energy and readiness goals."
"Southern Company recognizes the importance of developing and supplying carbon-free electricity as we continue our efforts toward our goal of reaching net zero by 2050," said Chris Womack, CEO and president of Southern Company. "Through industry-leading innovation and a commitment to a net zero future, we are delivering sustainable and resilient energy solutions that help drive growth and prosperity. This partnership will serve as another important step toward these goals."
GSA will continue to engage with Southern Company and other utilities to explore the advancement of potential CFE solutions including solar, battery storage, nuclear power, on-site generation and new sustainable technologies like clean hydrogen.
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