The role of the US electric utility industry in the commercialization of renewable energy technologies for power generation

Journal Article · Mon Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1990 · Annual Review of Energy; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.eg.15.110190.000531· OSTI ID:5579438

Nola, S J; Sioshansi, F P ^[1]

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1. Southern California Edison Co., Rosemead, CA (US)

A key element in the federal government's plan to commercialize R/As was to guarantee a market for the generated electric power at an attractive price. This was provided by the passage of the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978, better known as PURPA. Under PURPA, utilities were required to buy all that was produced by Qualifying Facilities or QFs{sup 2} and were required to pay for QF power based on the utilities; avoided costs. Utilities were also required to interconnect with such producers and provide supplemental and backup power to them at fair and reasonable rates. This article reviews the reason behind the rapid rise, and the subsequent oversupply, of R. As over the past decade in the context of the way PURPA was implemented. The article focuses on the critical role of the electric power industry in the commercialization of R/A technologies and the implications.

• OSTI ID: 5579438
• Journal Information: Annual Review of Energy; (United States), Journal Name: Annual Review of Energy; (United States) Vol. 15; ISSN 0362-1626; ISSN AREND
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY
290400 -- Energy Planning & Policy-- Energy Resources
290500 -- Energy Planning & Policy-- Research
Development
Demonstration
& Commercialization
296000* -- Energy Planning & Policy-- Electric Power
299000 -- Energy Planning & Policy-- Unconventional Sources & Power Generation
COMMERCIALIZATION
DEVELOPED COUNTRIES
ELECTRIC POWER
ELECTRIC POWER INDUSTRY
ENERGY POLICY
ENERGY SOURCES
FUEL SUBSTITUTION
GOVERNMENT POLICIES
INDUSTRY
LAWS
NORTH AMERICA
PLANNING
POWER
POWER GENERATION
PRICES
RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES
RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT
TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER
US NATIONAL ENERGY ACT
US PUBLIC UTILITY REGULATORY POLICIES ACT
USA