In 2009, a total of 4,778 kilowatt hours of renewable net-metered electricity were generated from solar and wind sources Vermont. In examining the Renewable Energy Production Map, size of community does not always relate to generation of renewable energy. The three top renewable generating communities were South Burlington, Hinesburg, and Montpelier. The data behind the map came from the Vermont Public Service Board. The idea behind creating this map was to encourage competition among towns as to who can generate the most renewable energy within their border. Other possible variations on this map would be to look at the per capita generation or the percent of consumption within the community that comes from renewables. How does Vermont stack up against the rest of the country? Will the 2010 show a major boost in renewable net-metered power?
According to the Public Service Board, “Any electrical utility customer in Vermont can net meter once they have obtained a Certificate of Public Good (CPG). Vermont’s net metering law caps the size of net metering generators at 15 kilowatts of generation for the following renewable forms of energy generation: photovoltaic panels, wind turbines, and fuel cells (when fueled by renewable sources). Farmers who generate electricity from farm produced methane can generate up to 150 kilowatts. This 150 kilowatt limit offers an opportunity to farms to economically generate their own power and reduce demand from utilities.” (http://publicservice.vermont.gov/energy/ee_netmetering.html)
Map prepared by David Healy, Stone Environmental Inc., Montpelier,VT 05602, 802.229.1879, dhealy@stone-env.com
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The 15 KW limit on Net renewable energy from farmers and businesses limits the amount of renewable power generated in VT compared to that in other states. For example, farmers in Iowa and other midwestern states often have one to three, 1,000 KW wind generators on their property. Many large stores throughout the country install solar panels on flat roofs that generate more than 500 KW. This higher limit could promote much more electricity than is now being produced in urban towns like Williston or rural windy towns with struggling dairy farms.
Our electric grids are much like our state highways. They are not being used very much except for rush hour and mid-day traffic. It doesn’t cost utilities any more to accept more power into the grid as long as that amount does not exceed the capacity of the grid. We in VT have a long way to go to promote alternative and renewable power.
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The total KILOWATTS is not how much power was generated. That’s the installed capacity of all the net metered systems in the state, what the equipment is theoretically capable of generating at any given moment.
What is generated is KILOWATT HOURS (kWh), which with small solar and hydro is of course dependent on weather conditions and time of day.
The map is a nice compilation. I just wanted to correct a frequent confusion when people talk about electricity, and particularly renewable.
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In this day and age there should be no cap on what anyone can produce for electricity. Each and every one of us should be able to create what we can and send it back to the grid. If everyone produce even a little electricity we might be able to make a pretty big contribution.
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I meant small solar and wind in the above comment, although it would be true for small hydro to in many cases
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This article has a few important mistakes in it:
1. The legal net-metering limit in VT is 250 kw not 15 kw. However, permitting for projects between 150 kw and 250 kw are significantly greater so 150 kw is a practical limit.
2. As Avram noted the 4,778 kw is capacity not generation.
3. The language at the end of the article is clipped directly from a Department of Public Service page which is woefully out of date.