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www.CtGreenGuide.com Summer 2014 • Connecticut Green Guide 33 Keep incentives Flowing assistance vital to development of in-state renewables By Jon gordon C lean, renewable energy is critical to Connecticut's energy future. Connecticut has taken a leader- ship role by establishing an aggressive Renewable Portfolio Standard calling for electric power supply from renewable energy sources to ramp up to 27 percent of total electric power generation by 2020. Connecticut has created an array of incentive programs to provide for renewable energy supply resources, including rooftop solar installa- tions that can provide savings and benefits to businesses and consumers alike. Those programs must continue. Connecticut is very reliant on natural-gas-fired and nuclear generation for the majority of its electric power needs and is becoming increasingly reliant on those resources as competitive power market economics are forcing the retirement of older, dirtier, less efficient oil- and coal-based electric power generation. The competi- tive market provides signals for retiring older, ineffi- cient generating plants and provides incentives for the development of newer, more efficient generation. Electric reliability is of paramount importance to all Connecticut residents for safety, comfort, and economic growth, and Connecticut will soon require new sources of generation to compensate for the anticipated re- tirements. The good news is state policy and market dynamics are moving us toward cleaner, renewable, and more efficient energy supplies. The challenge is financ- ing all the new infrastructure required to rebuild a new, renewable, cost-effective, and efficient power system. In addition to electric generating infrastructure, Con- necticut needs to contemplate significant investment in pipelines to supply new natural gas for electric genera- tion, as well as new electric transmission lines to bring large-scale renewable generation such as wind into Connecticut. The intermittent nature of wind and solar resources means quick-start natural gas generation will be required as a backup supply. Policymakers seeking to provide Connecticut ratepayers with the cleanest and lowest cost energy possible are facing difficult decisions with long-term implications for electric prices. Connecticut has limited opportunities for large-scale renewable development within its borders. Large-scale wind and solar is difficult to develop in a small, densely populated state. Importing renewables to meet the RPS can be expensive and denies taxpayers the economic benefits associated with the construction and operation of renewable resources. Connecticut needs to stay the course on providing incentives and financing for all in- state, small-scale, customer-sited renewable resources. In-state resources alone may not get the state to the 2020 goal, but Connecticut needs to make in-state re- newable resources its top energy policy priority. Jon Gordon is an independent energy policy consultant and a 28-year veteran of the energy industry, working on issues ranging from power markets to regulation to legislative affairs. Gordon serves on the board of REEBA (Renewable Energy and Efficiency Business Association).